Alice Gomme
Encyclopedia
Alice Bertha Gomme, Lady Gomme, born Merck (4 January 1853, London
- 5 January 1938, London
) was a leading British
folklorist, and a pioneer in the study of children's games.
(1853-1916), who was himself an important figure in folklore studies. The couple had seven sons, born between 1876 and 1891. One of these, Arthur Alan Gomme, would, like his father, become president of the Folklore Society
. Another, Arnold Wycombe Gomme
, was a noted classical scholar.
When the Folklore Society was founded in 1878, Gomme and her husband were among the founder members; and she would be a leading figure in its activities for the rest of her life. Her major work is The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland (two vols., 1894 and 1898), containing descriptions of some 800 children’s games, collected with the help of seventy-six correspondents. Among other works on the same subject was Children's Singing Games (two vols., 1894) and several later works in collaboration with her husband or with Cecil Sharp
. Her Children's Singing Games: with the Tunes to Which they are Sung was also notable for being one of the finest illustrated Arts & Crafts books produced by the Birmingham School of Art. Another pioneering interest was folk cookery; and she was elected as the first president of the English Folk Cookery Association in 1931. Beyond these specialist areas, her articles on folklore show a wide variety of interests.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
- 5 January 1938, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) was a leading British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
folklorist, and a pioneer in the study of children's games.
Life
Gomme was the daughter of Charles Merck, a master tailor, and Elizabeth, his wife. On March 31st, 1875, she married George Laurence GommeLaurence Gomme
Sir Laurence Gomme, FSA was a public servant and leading British folklorist. He helped found both the Victoria County History and the Folklore Society...
(1853-1916), who was himself an important figure in folklore studies. The couple had seven sons, born between 1876 and 1891. One of these, Arthur Alan Gomme, would, like his father, become president of the Folklore Society
Folklore Society
The Folklore Society was founded in England in 1878 to study traditional vernacular culture, including traditional music, song, dance and drama, narrative, arts and crafts, customs and belief...
. Another, Arnold Wycombe Gomme
Arnold Wycombe Gomme
Arnold Wycombe Gomme was a British classical scholar, Lecturer in Greek and Greek History , Professor of Greek, University of Glasgow . Fellow of the British Academy .-Life:...
, was a noted classical scholar.
When the Folklore Society was founded in 1878, Gomme and her husband were among the founder members; and she would be a leading figure in its activities for the rest of her life. Her major work is The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland (two vols., 1894 and 1898), containing descriptions of some 800 children’s games, collected with the help of seventy-six correspondents. Among other works on the same subject was Children's Singing Games (two vols., 1894) and several later works in collaboration with her husband or with Cecil Sharp
Cecil Sharp
Cecil James Sharp was the founding father of the folklore revival in England in the early 20th century, and many of England's traditional dances and music owe their continuing existence to his work in recording and publishing them.-Early life:Sharp was born in Camberwell, London, the eldest son of...
. Her Children's Singing Games: with the Tunes to Which they are Sung was also notable for being one of the finest illustrated Arts & Crafts books produced by the Birmingham School of Art. Another pioneering interest was folk cookery; and she was elected as the first president of the English Folk Cookery Association in 1931. Beyond these specialist areas, her articles on folklore show a wide variety of interests.
External links
- Works by Alice Gomme at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.