Susanna Keir facts for kids
Susanna Keir (born Susanna Harvey, 1747 – November 20, 1802) was a British writer of novels. She wrote two books. These novels were mostly written as a series of letters between characters. They focused a lot on teaching moral lessons but had less action.
Life of Susanna Keir
Early Life and Marriage
Susanna Harvey married James Keir, who was a chemist and a poet. James Keir was friends with important thinkers like Erasmus Darwin and Joseph Priestley. He also supported the French Revolution, which was a big event in France.
When they got married, a friend named William Small wrote that James Keir had become a glassmaker. He also noted that James had married a very beautiful woman. James Keir's business for making things was in Birmingham and Dudley.
Writing and Family
Even though her husband's work was in England, Susanna wrote her novels while living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Susanna and James had two children. Their son, Francis, sadly died when he was very young. Their daughter, Amelia, grew up and married a banker named John Lewis Moilliet.
Amelia later wrote a book about her father in 1859. This book was printed for private use, not for everyone to buy. Amelia wrote that her mother, Susanna, died suddenly on November 20, 1802. Susanna Keir was buried in West Bromwich.
A "Lost" Writer
Susanna Keir is known as one of the "lost" women writers. These are writers whose work was important but became less known over time. She is listed in a book called Mothers of the Novel: 100 Good Women Writers Before Jane Austen by Dale Spender. This book helps bring attention back to these forgotten female authors.
Her Novels
Susanna Keir wrote two novels during her lifetime. Both were published anonymously at first, meaning her name was not on them.
- Interesting Memoirs, published in 1785. This book was simply listed as "by a lady."
- The History of Miss Greville, published in 1787. This novel was listed as "by the author of Interesting Memoirs." It was available in Dublin, Edinburgh, and London.
