Maria Louisa Charlesworth
Encyclopedia
Maria Louisa Charlesworth (1 October 1819, The Rectory, Blakenham Parva – 6 January 1880, Nutfield, Surrey
) was an English author of religious books.
Maria Charlesworth was the daughter of John Charlesworth (1782-1864), an Evangelical clergyman who was rector of Flowton
when Maria was born and later rector of a London parish. A visitor in her father's parish from a young age, Maria Charlesworth drew on her experiences for The Female Visitor to the Poor (1846), as well as the fictionalised Ministering Children (1854). Ministering Children, set in a town modelled on Ipswich
, sold over 170,000 copies during her lifetime – designed to teach children by example, it was especially popular as a 'reward book' for Sunday school prizes – and was translated into French, German and Swedish.
On her father's death in 1864 Maria Charlesworth lived for a while with her clergyman brother in Limehouse and then sent up a ragged school
and a mission
in Bermondsey
. She retired to Nutfield in Surrey, where she died.
Nutfield, Surrey
Nutfield is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey. It has a population of 2,728The village lay within the Reigate hundred....
) was an English author of religious books.
Maria Charlesworth was the daughter of John Charlesworth (1782-1864), an Evangelical clergyman who was rector of Flowton
Flowton
Flowton is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located around three miles west of Ipswich, the parish also contains the hamlet of Flowton Brook. In 2005 its population was 120....
when Maria was born and later rector of a London parish. A visitor in her father's parish from a young age, Maria Charlesworth drew on her experiences for The Female Visitor to the Poor (1846), as well as the fictionalised Ministering Children (1854). Ministering Children, set in a town modelled on Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, sold over 170,000 copies during her lifetime – designed to teach children by example, it was especially popular as a 'reward book' for Sunday school prizes – and was translated into French, German and Swedish.
On her father's death in 1864 Maria Charlesworth lived for a while with her clergyman brother in Limehouse and then sent up a ragged school
Ragged school
Ragged Schools were charitable schools dedicated to the free education of destitute children in 19th century England. The schools were developed in working class districts of the rapidly expanding industrial towns...
and a mission
City Mission
The City Mission movement started in Glasgow in January 1826 when David Nasmith, founded the Glasgow City Mission . It was an interdenominational agency working alongside churches and other Christian agencies to provide for the spiritual and material welfare of those in need.Agencies in the...
in Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
. She retired to Nutfield in Surrey, where she died.
Works
- The Female Visitor to the Poor, 1846
- Ministering children, 1854
- Africa's Mountain Valley, 1865
- A Sequel to Ministering Children, 1867
- Oliver of the Mill, 1876
- The Old Looking-Glass; or Mrs. Dorothy Cope's Recollections of Service, 1877
- Sunday Afternoons in the Nursery, or Familiar Narratives from the Book of Genesis, 1885.