Mary Elizabeth Southwell Dudley Leathley facts for kids

Mary Elizabeth Southwell Dudley Leathley (born June 18, 1818 – died December 22, 1899) was an Irish writer. She wrote many books for children and also religious works.

About Mary Leathley

Her Early Life

Mary Elizabeth Southwell Dudley was born on June 18, 1818. Her birthplace was Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. Her father was George Dudley. Her family were members of the Society of Friends, a Christian group.

Becoming a Writer

Mary Leathley started writing when she was just sixteen years old. She became a very active writer, creating many stories. She mostly wrote fiction for children. She also wrote books about religious topics. One of her stories became extremely popular. It sold half a million copies!

Later Life

Mary Leathley married William Henry Leathley on June 11, 1847. He was a lawyer. Mary changed her religion to Catholic in the same year. Their son, Dudley, was raised as a Catholic. Mary Leathley lived in different places, including Midhurst, Ascot, and Malvern. She passed away in Hastings on December 22, 1899.

Mary Leathley often published her books without using her real name. Because of this, not much is known about her personal life. A person named Lawrence Darton later shared her identity as the author.

Her Books

Mary Leathley wrote many books during her lifetime. Here are some of her well-known works:

• Chickseed Without Chickweed (1861)
• Children of Scripture: A Sunday School Book for Youth (1866)
• The Story of Stories (1875)
• Requiescent: A Little Book of Anniversaries (1888)