Mary Kitson Clark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Kitson Clark
FSA
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Kitson Clark in 1940
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| Born |
Anna Mary Hawthorn Kitson Clark
14 May 1905 Leeds, England
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| Died | 1 February 2005 (aged 99) Llangwnnadl, Wales
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| Nationality | English |
| Other names | Mary Chitty |
| Occupation |
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| Spouse(s) |
Derwas Chitty
(m. 1943; died 1971) |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Girton College, Cambridge |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Archaeology |
| Sub-discipline |
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| Institutions | Yorkshire Museum |
| Notable works | A Gazetteer of Roman Remains in East Yorkshire (1935) |
Anna Mary Hawthorn Kitson Clark (born May 14, 1905 – died February 1, 2005), also known as Mary Chitty after she married, was an English archaeologist. An archaeologist is someone who studies human history by digging up old things. She was also a curator, which means she looked after museum collections.
Mary Kitson Clark was an independent scholar, meaning she did her research on her own. She was an expert in the archaeology of Romano-British Northern England. This is the time when the Romans were in Britain. She also worked on digs outside the United Kingdom. Her 1935 book, A Gazetteer of Roman Remains in East Yorkshire, is still a very important book for studying the Romans in northern England.
Contents
Discovering the Past: Who Was Mary Kitson Clark?
Mary Kitson Clark was a famous archaeologist. She spent her life studying ancient Roman sites in England. She helped us understand more about what life was like when the Romans lived in Britain. She also worked on important digs in other countries.
Early Life and School Days
Mary Kitson Clark was born on May 14, 1905, in Leeds, England. She was the youngest of three children. Her father was Edwin Kitson Clark and her mother was Georgina Kitson Clark. Her older brother, George Kitson Clark, became a historian. A historian is someone who studies and writes about the past.
Mary's grandfather, Edwin Charles Clark, was a professor at Cambridge University. Her great-grandfather, George Parker Bidder, was a famous engineer. Mary was first taught at home. Later, she went to Leeds Girls' High School. This was a special independent school in Leeds.
After high school, she went to Girton College, Cambridge. She studied history there. After getting her first degree, she stayed at the University of Cambridge. She earned a special one-year diploma in archaeology.
A Career in Archaeology
Mary Kitson Clark was part of a group of archaeologists who worked independently. This means they did their research and studies without working for a university or big company. She saw archaeology change a lot during her lifetime. It went from being a hobby for many to a professional job.
From 1929 to 1943, she was the secretary for the Roman Antiquities Committee for Yorkshire. Her father was the treasurer for this group. During this time, she wrote her most important book. It was called A Gazetteer of Roman Remains in East Yorkshire (1935). A gazetteer is like a list or dictionary of places. This book was described as a "well-loved classic." It is still a key book for anyone studying the Romans in northern England.
From 1941 to 1943, she also worked at the Yorkshire Museum in York. She was the curator of Roman Antiquities there. This meant she was in charge of the Roman objects in the museum.
After she got married in 1943, Mary Kitson Clark stayed involved with the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. This group helped run the Yorkshire Museum. She became their longest-serving Vice-President. After her husband died in 1971, she kept doing her research. She wrote two books about The Monks of Ynys Enlli. The last book was published just after her 95th birthday.
Digging Up History: Excavations
Mary Kitson Clark took part in many archaeological excavations. An excavation is when archaeologists dig carefully to find old things. She dug at several sites in East Riding of Yorkshire. She wrote about what she found in her 1935 book.
In 1929, she traveled to Palestine. There, she worked on digs led by Dorothy Garrod. These digs were looking for very old Stone Age sites. In 1935, Mary was part of a team that dug at Petuaria. This was a Roman fort in Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire.
Her Personal Journey
Mary Kitson Clark met her future husband, Derwas Chitty, during the 1929 excavations in Palestine. He was also an archaeologist and a priest. They got married on July 5, 1943. They had one daughter together.
They lived in Upton, Berkshire, where her husband was a vicar. A vicar is a type of Anglican priest. After he retired in 1968, they moved to Llangwnnadl, Wales. Her husband died in 1971. After his death, her strong Christian faith helped comfort Mary.
Mary Kitson Clark passed away on February 1, 2005, at the age of 99. Her funeral and a special church service were held in Llangwnnadl.
Special Honours and Recognition
On January 13, 1938, Mary Kitson Clark was given a special honour. She was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA). This is a big award for people who are experts in old things and history. When she died, she was the last person still alive who had been elected before World War II.
In 1985, a conference was held to honour her. British Romanists, who are experts in Roman history, organized it. The talks from this conference were later published as a book. It was called Recent Research in Roman Yorkshire: studies in honour of Mary Kitson Clark (Mrs Derwas Chitty) (1988).
Important Books and Papers
Here are some of the important things Mary Kitson Clark wrote:
- Kitson Clark, M. 1931. "Iron Age sites in the Vale of Pickering", Yorkshire Archaeological Journal 30. 157-172.
- Kitson Clark, M. 1933. "Some Invasions of Yorkshire", Yorkshire Archaeological Journal 31. 320-330.
- Kiston Clark, M. (1939). "Where were the Brigantes", Yorkshire Archaeological Journal 34. 80–87.
