Catherine George Ward facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Catherine Mason
Born	Catherine George Ward 1787 Scotland
Died	Unknown
Occupation	Writer
Spouse(s)	First husband unknown; second James M Mason

Title page of The Eve of St Agnes (1831)

Catherine Mason (born Catherine George Ward, 1787 – after 1833) was a Scottish writer. She is famous for her novels, poems, and children's stories. Some of her best-known books include The Mysterious Marriage, The Rose of Claremont, and The Eve of St Agnes. Catherine moved to London around 1810. Before that, she might have been an actress in Edinburgh for a short time.

Who Was Catherine Ward?

Catherine Ward was born in Scotland in 1787. She spent her childhood on the Isle of Wight. We don't know much about her parents or siblings.

Early Life and Acting

When she was younger, Catherine might have acted on stage in Edinburgh. This experience may have inspired her to write two operas and a play later on. Her very first published work was a collection of poems. She wrote these poems in Edinburgh in 1805.

Starting Her Writing Career

By 1810, when she was about 23, Catherine had moved to London. There, she wrote her first novel, The Daughter of St. Omar. Over the next 30 years, Catherine published many books. She wrote about twenty-one novels and six collections of poetry.

One interesting fact is that she used a secret name, or pseudonym, for one of her novels. In 1829, she wrote The Castle of Villeroy under the name Ann of Kent. This was the only time she used a different name for her writing.

Challenges and Later Years

Even though Catherine wrote a lot, she often faced money problems. She asked for help from a group called the Royal Literary Fund several times. They gave her some money to help her out.

Catherine's life was not always easy. She was even held in a special prison for a short time in 1824 because of her husband's debts. She was released a few months later. Around that time, she was writing her novel The Mysterious Marriage.

Catherine stopped writing around 1833 after her last novel, Alice Gray, came out. We don't know exactly when or where she passed away, but it was likely in Scotland.

Catherine's Family Life

Catherine Ward was married twice. We don't know much about her first marriage, but it seems they had money troubles. Her first husband passed away in 1824.

Second Marriage

By 1827, Catherine married her second husband, James M Mason. He also faced health and money problems. He passed away in 1832. After his death, Catherine asked the Royal Literary Fund for help again. She needed money for his funeral and to travel back to Scotland.

About Her Child

Catherine had one child. We don't know when the child was born, but sadly, the child passed away around 1816. Catherine wrote to the Royal Literary Fund to thank them for helping her with the funeral costs. She did not have any other known children.

Catherine Ward's Published Works

Here are some of the books Catherine Ward wrote:

As Catherine George Ward

• The Daughter of St. Omar (1810)
• My Native Land (1813)
• A Bachelor's Heiress (1814)
• The Son and the Nephew (1814)
• Robertina (1818)
• The Thorn (1819)
• The Mysterious Marriage (1820)
• The Rose of Claremont (1820)
• The Orphan Boy (1821)
• Family Portraits (1822)
• The Cottage on the Cliffs (1823)
• The Mysteries of St. Claire (1823)
• The Widow's choice (1823)
• The First Child (1824)
• The Fisher's Daughter (1824)
• The Forest Girl (1826)
• The Castle of Villeroy or The Bandit Chief (Written under the pseudonym, Ann of Kent) (1827)
• The Knight of the White Banner (1827)

As Mrs. Mason

• The Eve of St. Agnes (1831)
• Alice Gray: A Domestic Novel (1833)

External Sites

• Corvey Women Writers on the Web author page