Charlotte Riddell

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Charlotte Riddell (30 September 1832 – 24 September 1906) was a one of the most popular and influential writers of the Victorian period. The author of 56 books, novels and short stories, she was also part owner and editor of the St. James's Magazine, one of the most prestigious literary magazines of the 1860s.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Charlotte Riddell in 1875
Charlotte Riddell in 1875

Born Charlotte Eliza Lawson Cowan in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ireland on 30 September 1832, she was the youngest daughter of James Cowan, of Carrickfergus, High Sheriff for the county of Antrim and Ellen Kilshaw of Liverpool, England. Her father died in 1851 and she and her mother arrived in London, England in the winter of 1855. Her mother died on December 16, 1856 and in 1857 she married Joseph Hadley Riddell, a civil engineer, originally from Staffordshire, but resident in London. Mr. Riddell died March 20, 1881 and Charlotte died on September 24, 1906 in Heston Village (London area), Middlesex, England. She is buried in Heston.

Charlotte Riddell aged 60
Charlotte Riddell aged 60

She was the author of many ghost stories, publishing under the name of Mrs. J.H. Riddell. In the course of half a century she produced over fifty books, novels and tales. Her husband died in 1880. Charlotte lived a lonely life thereafter until her she died from cancer in Ashford, Kent, England on 24 September 1906.[1]

[edit] Author's Works

Her publications included:

[edit] Novels

Cover of the Uninhabited House
Cover of the Uninhabited House
  • The Haunted House at Latchford (aka Fairy Water) (1872)
  • The Uninhabited House (1875)
  • The Haunted River (1877)
  • The Disappearance of Jeremiah Redworth (1878)
  • The Nun's Curse (1888)
  • Maxwell Drewitt (1879)
  • The Earl’s Promise (1873)

[edit] Collections

  • Frank Sinclair's Wife: And Other Stories (1874)
  • Weird Stories (1882)
  • Idle Tales (1887)
  • Princess Sunshine: And Other Stories (1889)
  • Handsome Phil: And Other Stories (1899)
  • The Collected Ghost Stories of Mrs J H Riddell (1977)

[edit] Anthologies containing stories by Mrs J H Riddell

  • The 7th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories (1971)
  • Victorian Tales of Terror (1972)
  • The Penguin Book of Classic Fantasy by Women (1977)
  • Gaslit Nightmares (1988)
  • 100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories (1992)
  • The Mammoth Book of Haunted House Stories (2000)

[edit] Short stories

  • Banshee's Warning (1867)
  • A Strange Christmas Game (1868)
  • Forewarned, Forearmed (1874)
  • Hertford O'Donnell's Warning (1874)
  • Nut Bush Farm (1882)
  • The Old House in Vauxhall Walk (1882)
  • Old Mrs Jones (1882)
  • The Open Door (1882)
  • Sandy the Tinker (1882)
  • Walnut-Tree House (1882)
  • The Last of Squire Ennismore (1888)
  • A Terrible Vengeance (1889)
  • Why Dr Cray Left Southam (1889)
  • Conn Kilrea (1899)
  • The Rusty Sword (1893)
  • Diarmid Chittock's Story (1899)
  • Handsome Phil (1899)

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ellis, S M (1934). Wilke Collins, Le Fanu and Others. Constable. ISBN : none issued at publication.