Second child of Edward William Gleeson, bank manager, and his wife Frances Eliza (D'Oiseau-Smith), Frances was born in Tanunda but spent her early years in Peterborough when her father transferred there. She attended the local school. When her family moved to live in Walkerville, she attended a school in North Adelaide. In an unpublished biography of "Frances Leeton" (a semi-fictional autobiography) she described her mother's illness and death, her father's financial difficulties, and her decision to educate her younger sister in a convent school in Victoria and herself attend business colleges in Ballarat and Melbourne.
She got work as a clerk with a chartered accountant in Melbourne, and during WWI worked for the Department of Defence in their base records and correspondence sections. In 1919 she was employed by a legal firm, and later by the Repatriation Department, transferring from Melbourne to Sydney. In 1921 she was once again in Adelaide, employed by a firm of solicitors.
In May 1924 she met a senior member of the SA Women Police and became so interested in the work that she joined the force six weeks later. In 1927 she was transferred to Mt Gambier. Following an illness she travelled in 1933 to England, Scotland and Europe on holiday. On her return to SA she took up residence at Dutton Tce, Medindie. She rejoined the Women Police and worked at the Adelaide Headquarters before being transferred to Pt Adelaide. She retired from the police force in 1948. She used her name Ethel as a policewoman, but wrote under her second name, Frances.
As well as her published book of poetry, she wrote a musical composition, "Valse Gabrielle" (1957), another collection of poetry, "Zephyrs of the Moon" (1949-1960) and a semi-fictional autobiography, "Speedwell" (1962)
