Geraldine Elliot began her career at the BBC presenting Children’s Hour and occasionally writing for the programme.

In 1927 she married Lieutenant Humphrey Bingham who left the Army in 1928 and joined the Colonial Service. Shortly after joining, Elliot’s husband was sent to the central and northern provinces of Malawi. Geraldine, of course went with him.

Elliot became fascinated with African culture and began collecting folk tales from local people which she compiled to produce her first book New Tales for Old, in 1933. This was followed by The Long Grass Whispers in 1939. During the following decade she produced a further three anthologies of short stories whilst stationed in Mzimba and Southern Rhodesia.

Elliot and her husband returned to England in 1955, where she continued to write. She died on 15 October 2003 in Suffolk.