Sarah Doudney facts for kids

Sarah Doudney (an inscription signed by Doudney appears beneath the portrait engraving).

Sarah Doudney (born January 15, 1841, in Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire – died December 8, 1926, in Oxford) was an English writer and poet. She is best known for her children's books and her hymns.

Early Life and First Success

Sarah Doudney's father owned a business that made candles and soap. Her uncle, David Alfred Doudney, was a religious leader and editor of magazines like The Gospel Magazine. Sarah went to a school for French girls. She started writing poems and stories when she was a child.

When she was 15, she wrote a poem called "The Lesson of the Water-Mill." This poem was published in a magazine in 1864. It later became a very popular song in both Britain and the United States. Sarah lived with her parents near Catherington until she was 30 years old.

Becoming a Writer

Sarah Doudney's first novel, Under Grey Walls, came out in 1871. She became very successful with her third novel, Archie's Old Desk, in 1872. In 1881, she described herself as a "Writer for Monthly Journals."

She wrote poems and stories for many magazines. These included All the Year Round (edited by Charles Dickens), the Churchman's Shilling Magazine, and The Girl's Own Paper. She also wrote for Sunday Magazine, Good Words, and The Quiver.

By 1891, Sarah Doudney had written about 35 novels. Most of these books were for young girls. However, she also wrote some for adults. Many of her stories had sad endings. But they often suggested that happiness would come after death. For example, in Anna Cavaye, or, The Ugly Princess, a dying child finds comfort. She knows she helped bring other people together.

Sarah Doudney also wrote hymns, which are religious songs. One of her famous hymns is The Christian's Good Night. It was set to music in 1884 and was sung at the funeral of a famous preacher, Charles Spurgeon.

Later Years

Sarah's mother, Lucy Doudney, passed away in 1891. Her father died in 1893. After her parents' deaths, Sarah Doudney moved to Oxford. She lived there until she passed away in December 1926.

Selected Works