Catherine Crowe facts for kids

Catherine Ann Crowe, born Catherine Ann Stevens, was an English writer. She lived from 1803 to 1876. She wrote many different kinds of stories. These included novels, plays, and even tales about ghosts. She also wrote books especially for children.

Discovering Catherine Crowe's Life

Early Years and Family Life

Catherine Ann Stevens was born in Borough Green, a town in Kent, England. She learned at home during her childhood. Most of her early life was spent in Kent.

She married an army officer named Major John Crowe. They had one son, John William, born in 1823. Her marriage was not a happy one. In 1828, she sought help from friends.

Moving to Edinburgh and Writing

By 1838, Catherine had separated from her husband. She moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. There, she met many other writers. These included Thomas de Quincey and Harriet Martineau. Meeting these writers encouraged her own writing.

Later in her life, her writing became less popular. In 1861, she sold the rights to her books. After 1852, she lived mostly in London and other countries. She moved to Folkestone in 1871. She passed away there the next year.

Exploring Catherine Crowe's Writings

Plays and Early Novels

Catherine Crowe wrote two plays. One was a serious play called Aristodemus (1838). The other was a drama called The Cruel Kindness (1853). Both plays were published. The Cruel Kindness was even performed in London.

Her first successful novel was The Adventures of Susan Hopley (1841). This book made her known as a novelist. Other popular novels followed. These included Men and Women (1844) and The Story of Lily Dawson (1847).

Her novels often had exciting and complicated plots. They also showed the challenges women faced in Victorian times. Many women were raised without much freedom. They could be treated badly by men who were not kind. Susan Hopley was very popular. It was reprinted many times. It was even made into a play and a cheap serial story. Her stories were also printed in popular magazines. These included Chambers' Edinburgh Journal and Dickens's Household Words.

Popular Play Adaptations

The play Susan Hopley; or, The Vicissitudes of a Servant Girl was based on her novel. George Dibdin Pitt adapted it for the stage. It opened in 1841 and was a huge hit. By 1849, it had been performed 343 times.

Supernatural Stories

Catherine Crowe became very interested in supernatural topics. She was inspired by German writers. Her collection of ghost stories, The Night-side of Nature (1848), became her most famous work. It is still printed today. The book was translated into German and French. It even influenced the famous writer Charles Baudelaire.

She faced some health challenges related to her interest in these topics. However, she recovered. Two of her ghost stories were later included in a book called Victorian Ghost Stories (1936).

Books for Young Readers

Catherine Crowe also wrote several books for children. She created simpler versions of Uncle Tom's Cabin for young readers. Other children's books she wrote include:

• Pippie's Warning; or, Mind Your Temper (1848)
• The Story of Arthur Hunter and his First Shilling (1861)
• The Adventures of a Monkey (1862)

List of Catherine Crowe's Works

• Aristodemus: A Tragedy (1838)
• Adventures of Susan Hopley; or Circumstantial Evidence (1841)
• Men and Women or, Manorial Rights (1843)
• The Story of Lilly Dawson. (1847)
• Pippie's Warning; or, Mind your Temper (1848)
• The Night-Side of Nature, or, Ghosts and Ghost-seers (1848)
• Light and Darkness; or, Mysteries of Life (1850)
• The Adventures of a Beauty (1852)
• The Cruel Kindness: A Romantic Play (1853)
• Linny Lockwood: A Novel (1854)
• Ghosts and Family Legends: A Volume for Christmas (1859)
• The Story of Arthur Hunter and His First Shilling, with Other Tales (1861)
• The Adventures of a Monkey: An Interesting Narrative (1862)