Daisy Ashford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daisy Ashford
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Ashford in 1919
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| Born |
Margaret Mary Julia Ashford
3 April 1881 Petersham, London, England
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| Died | 15 January 1972 (aged 90) Norwich, England
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| Occupation | Novelist |
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Notable work
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The Young Visiters |
| Spouse(s) | James Devlin (1920–1956; his death) |
| Children | 4 |
Daisy Ashford (born Margaret Mary Julia Ashford) was an amazing English writer. She is most famous for writing The Young Visiters. This short novel was about the lives of rich people in England during the late 1800s. What makes it special? Daisy wrote it when she was only nine years old!
The book was published in 1919. It kept her original spelling and punctuation, which was part of its charm. Daisy had actually titled her story "Viseters" in her handwritten copy. But when it was printed, the title became "Visiters".
Contents
About Daisy's Life
Her Early Years
Daisy Ashford was born on April 3, 1881. Her birthplace was Petersham, which is in Surrey, England. She was the oldest of three daughters. Her parents were Emma Georgina Walker and William Henry Roxburgh Ashford.
Daisy and her two younger sisters, Maria and Angela, mostly learned at home. They did not go to a regular school.
Her Writing Journey
Daisy started writing very young. When she was just four years old, she told her first story to her father. It was called The Life of Father McSwiney. This story was later published in 1983.
From 1889 to 1896, Daisy lived with her family in Lewes. It was during this time that she wrote her most famous book, The Young Visiters. She also wrote other stories and a play called A Woman's Crime. Another short novel she wrote was The Hangman's Daughter. Daisy thought this was her best work. Sadly, some of her other stories are now lost.
Daisy stopped writing when she was a teenager. In 1904, she moved with her family to Bexhill, and then to London. There, she worked as a secretary. During the First World War, she ran a canteen in Dover.
When The Young Visiters was published in 1919, it became popular right away. Because of its success, several of her other stories were published in 1920. Daisy used the money she earned from The Young Visiters to buy a farm. She once said, "I like fresh air — and royalties." She did not write much in her later years. She even started writing her life story when she was old, but she later destroyed it.
Her Family Life
In 1920, when Daisy was 38, she got married to James Devlin. They had four children together. Daisy and James ran a business growing flowers near Norwich. For a year, they also managed the King's Arms Hotel in Reepham. James Devlin passed away in 1956.
Her Passing
Daisy Ashford died on January 15, 1972. She passed away in Norwich, England. She was buried at Earlham Road Cemetery in Norwich.
Daisy's Published Books
- The Young Visiters, or, Mr Salteena's Plan. London: Chatto and Windus, 1919
- Daisy Ashford: Her Book: A Collection of the Remaining Novels. London: George H. Doran and Company, 1920
- Love and Marriage: Three Stories. London: Hart-Davis, 1965
- Where Love Lies Deepest. London: Hart-Davis, 1966
- The Hangman's Daughter and Other Stories. Oxford University Press 1983 (Includes The Life of Father McSwiney)
See also
