Katharine Sarah Macquoid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katharine Sarah Macquoid
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| Born | Katherine Sarah Thomas 26 January 1824 Kentish Town, London, England |
| Died | June 1917 Tooting Commons, London, England |
| Occupation | novelist; travel writer |
| Notable works | Patty |
| Spouse |
Thomas Robert Macquoid
(m. 1851) |
| Children | Percy Macquoid, Gilbert Macquoid |
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Katharine Sarah Macquoid (born January 26, 1824 – died June 1917) was a British writer. She wrote over 65 books and many stories. Her stories appeared in magazines like Welcome Guest. Her first story was published there in 1859. Katharine's first novel, A Bad Beginning: a story of a French marriage (1862), was very popular. Her most famous story was probably Patty, published in 1871.
Early Life and Learning
Katharine Sarah Thomas was born in Kentish Town, London, England. This was on January 26, 1824. She was the third daughter of Thomas Thomas, a merchant, and Phoebe Gadsden. Her mother loved books, and Katharine likely got her love for writing from her.
Katharine was taught at home. When she was about 17 or 18, she moved to France. She lived there for several years. This experience was very helpful for her later writing career.
Writing Career
In 1851, Katharine married Thomas Robert Macquoid. He was a talented artist. He painted with watercolors and drew in black and white. It was Thomas who encouraged Katharine to start writing. Some people think she also began writing professionally to help pay for her two sons' school fees. Her sons attended Marlborough College.
She started by writing poems and stories for children. These appeared in The Welcome Guest, a weekly paper. Her husband, Thomas, drew pictures for these stories. A collection of her early works was published as Piccalilli: a Mixture in 1862.
In 1862, Katharine's first novel, A Bad Beginning: a story of a French marriage, came out. It was a big success. After this, she wrote between 50 and 60 more stories. Her best-known story was Patty (1871). This book made her very famous. The main character in Patty was more adventurous than most heroines of that time.
Katharine also became known for her travel books. These included Through Normandy and Through Brittany. Her husband illustrated these books with his drawings. Other travel books were In the Ardennes, Pictures in Umbria, and In the Volcanic Eifel.
It took time for Katharine to become recognized as a writer. However, important people like George Lillie Craik and George Grove encouraged her. Parents liked her stories because they were interesting. Young girls also enjoyed them. Her books were not "silly" or boring. They showed real-life situations that young girls could understand.
Family Life
Katharine and Thomas had two sons. Their elder son was Percy Macquoid, who became a designer and decorator. Their second son, Gilbert Macquoid, was a lawyer. Gilbert helped his mother with some of her travel books. He also edited a book called Jacobite Songs and Ballads.
Katharine enjoyed reading, gardening, and traveling to other countries. She passed away in June 1917, in Tooting Commons.
Selected Works
- Piccalilli, 1862
- A Bad Beginning, 1862
- Chesterford, 1863
- Hester Kirton, 1864
- By the Sea, 1865
- Elinor Dr den, 1867
- Charlotte Burney, 1867
- Wild as a Hawk (Marjorie), 1868
- Forgotten by the World, 1869
- Bookstone, 1871
- Patty, 1871
- Miriam's Marriage, 1872 [1]
- Pictures across the Channel, 1872 [2]
- Too Soon, 1873
- Through Normandy, 1874
- My Story, 1874 [3]
- The Evil Eye, 1875
- Diane, 1875
- Lost Rose, 1876
- Through Brittany, 1877
- Doris Barugh, 1877
- Pictures and Legends from Normandy and Brittany, 1878 (with T. R. Macquoid)[4]
- The Berkshire Lady, 1879 [5]
- In the Sweet Spring Time, 1880
- Beside the River, 1881 [6]
- Little Fifine, 1881
- In the Ardennes, 1881
- A Faithful Lover, 1882 [7]
- Her Sailor Love, 1888
- About Yorkshire, 1883 (with T. R. Macquoid)[8]
- Under the Snow, 1884 [9]
- Louisa, 1885 [10]
- A Strange Company; and The Light on the Seine, 1885 [11]
- At the Red Glove, 1885
- A Little Vagabond, 1886 [12]
- Joan Wentworth, 1886
- Sir James Appleby, 1886
- Mere Suzanne, 1886
- At the Peacock, 1887
- Puff, 1888
- Elizabeth Morley, 1889
- Roger Ferron, 1889
- Pepin, 1889
- The Old Courtyard, 1890 [13]
- Cosette, 1890
- The Haunted Fountain, 1890 [14]
- At an old Chateau, 1891 [15]
- Driftin Apart, 1891
- The Prince's Whim, 1891 [16]
- Maisie Derrick, 1892 [17]
- Miss Eyon of Eyoncourt, 1892
- Berris, 1893 [18]
- In an Orchard, 1894
- Appledore Farm, 1894 [19]
- His Last Card, 1895
- In the Volcanic Eifel, 1896 (with Gilbert S. Macquoid)[20]
- The Story of Lois, 1898
- A Ward of the King, 1898 [21]
Images for kids
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A Ward of the King: A Romance
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In the Ardennes
