Ada J. Graves
Encyclopedia
Ada J. Graves (14 April 1870 - 8th July 1918 ) was a British children’s writer. She was born in Benares, Bengal
, the daughter of James Speed Graves and Charlotte Graves. In 1881 her family was living in Midlothian
, Scotland.
Graves is known for two books published round the turn of the 20th century: The House by the Railway (1896) illustrated by Rosa C. Petherick
and Four Little People and their Year at Silverhaven (1898) illustrated by Florence Meyerheim
. She also wrote The Little Brown House (1902).
In 2011, it was claimed that significant sections of E. Nesbit's novel The Railway Children
may have been plagiarised from Ada J. Graves’s The House by the Railway, which was published in 1896 and later serialised in a 1904 children’s annual. Both works bear remarkable similarities in plot. In both stories, children avert a train disaster by waving red flags made from pieces of their clothing to attract the driver’s attention. The young heroes in both books are presented with engraved watches. Both stories also end with a family being reunited.
Graves, who was distantly related to the war poet Robert Graves
, married Dr. Edward Rainsford Mumford (1876-1953), a missionary to India
. She died in the Srimangal earthquake of 8 July 1918. She had run back into her home in Kalighat to look for her daughter, not realising that the girl had already been taken to safety by a nanny. She was killed by the falling roof and debris.
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, the daughter of James Speed Graves and Charlotte Graves. In 1881 her family was living in Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, Scotland.
Graves is known for two books published round the turn of the 20th century: The House by the Railway (1896) illustrated by Rosa C. Petherick
Rosa C. Petherick
Rosa Clementina Petherick was a British book illustrator. Born in Addiscombe, Croydon, she was the eldest of five daughters of the artist Horace William Petherick . She contributed illustrations to numerous children's story books, annuals and periodicals, particularly those produced by Blackie...
and Four Little People and their Year at Silverhaven (1898) illustrated by Florence Meyerheim
Florence Meyerheim
Florence Meyerheim was a British illustrator of children's books. She was born in Barton upon Irwell. She illustrated books by a group of contemporary authors who were associated with the Religious Tract Society, the Sunday School Union and publisher Andrew Melrose, one of the first being W.E....
. She also wrote The Little Brown House (1902).
In 2011, it was claimed that significant sections of E. Nesbit's novel The Railway Children
The Railway Children
The Railway Children is a children's book by Edith Nesbit, originally serialised in The London Magazine during 1905 and first published in book form in 1906...
may have been plagiarised from Ada J. Graves’s The House by the Railway, which was published in 1896 and later serialised in a 1904 children’s annual. Both works bear remarkable similarities in plot. In both stories, children avert a train disaster by waving red flags made from pieces of their clothing to attract the driver’s attention. The young heroes in both books are presented with engraved watches. Both stories also end with a family being reunited.
Graves, who was distantly related to the war poet Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
, married Dr. Edward Rainsford Mumford (1876-1953), a missionary to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She died in the Srimangal earthquake of 8 July 1918. She had run back into her home in Kalighat to look for her daughter, not realising that the girl had already been taken to safety by a nanny. She was killed by the falling roof and debris.