Jean Ingelow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Ingelow
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Jean Ingelow by Elliott & Fry (1860s)
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| Born | 17 March 1820 Boston, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
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| Died | 20 July 1897 (aged 77) Kensington, London, United Kingdom
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| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Poet and novelist |
Jean Ingelow (born March 17, 1820 – died July 20, 1897) was a famous English writer. She wrote many poems and novels. Jean Ingelow also created several stories especially for children. She became very well-known in 1863.
Contents
Early Life and First Writings
Jean Ingelow was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. Her birthday was March 17, 1820. Her father, William Ingelow, worked as a banker. When Jean was 14, her family moved to Ipswich. They lived above the bank where her father worked.
As a young girl, Jean wrote poems and stories. She used the secret name Oris for her writings. Her first book of poems came out when she was almost 30. It was called A Rhyming Chronicle of Incidents and Feelings. A famous poet, Alfred Tennyson, liked it a lot. He even wanted to meet the writer. They later became good friends.
Becoming a Popular Writer
In 1851, Jean Ingelow published a story called "Allerton and Dreux". But it was her book Poems in 1863 that made her truly famous. This book sold over 200,000 copies! Many people loved her poems. They were even turned into songs for people to enjoy at home. Her writings often explored religious feelings. In 1867, she helped edit a poetry book for children. It was called The Story of Doom and other Poems.
Jean Ingelow's books were also very popular in the United States.
Writing for Children
After her poems became a hit, Jean Ingelow started writing more novels. Some of her novels include Off the Skelligs (1872) and Fated to be Free (1873). She also wrote many stories for kids. These included Studies for Stories (1864) and Stories told to a Child (1865).
One of her most loved children's books was Mopsa the Fairy (1869). This story is about a boy who finds a fairy nest. He then rides on an albatross and discovers a magical fairyland. This book was so popular that it was reprinted in 1927. A writer named Anne Thaxter Eaton called it a "well-constructed tale" with "charm."
Jean Ingelow published her third collection of Poems in 1885. She spent her last years in Kensington. She passed away in 1897 and was buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.
Her Famous Poems
Jean Ingelow's poems were very popular during her lifetime. Songs like "Sailing beyond Seas" were big hits. Her most famous poems are "The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire, 1571" and "Divided".
Many writers of her time admired her work. Gerald Massey said "The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire" was "full of power and tenderness." Even the famous mystery writer Agatha Christie loved "Sailing beyond Seas." She quoted it in two of her novels.
However, some literary critics were not as kind. They sometimes felt she wrote too much. They also thought her language was old-fashioned or too emotional.
Works
- Mopsa the Fairy at A Celebration of Women Writers
- A Lost Wand
- The Prince's Dream
- Gems From Jean Ingelow
Legacy
Jean Ingelow's work continued to be remembered. Rudyard Kipling mentioned "The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire, 1571" in his story "My Son's Wife." D. H. Lawrence also included a reading of this poem in his novel Sons and Lovers.
A writer named Maureen Peters wrote a book about Jean Ingelow in 1972.
The town of Enderby, British Columbia in Canada was named in 1887. This happened after someone read "The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire, 1571." There is also a street named Ingelow Road in Battersea, London.
Images for kids
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A portrait of Jean Ingelow.
