Marjorie Barnard was born and educated in Sydney, graduating from the University of Sydney in 1920 with first-class honours in history. While at university she met Flora Eldershaw with whom she would collaborate, as 'M. Barnard Eldershaw', on five novels, three histories, short stories and essays between 1929 and 1947. Barnard worked as a librarian at Sydney Technical College until resigning to write full-time in 1935. Barnard's own writing included novels, histories and a substantial critical study of Miles Franklin. She died in 1987.