Catherine Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Catherine Sinclair was a Scottish
novelist and writer of children's literature
.
and Lady Diana Macdonald. Catherine died unmarried. Sir George Sinclair, 2nd Baronet
, John Sinclair (1797–1875), and William Sinclair
(1804–1878) were her brothers. She was her father's secretary from the age of fourteen till his death in 1835.
She then began independent authorship, her first works being children's books, prompted by interest in her nephew, the Hon. George Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow
.
Her story of two anarchic children, in Holiday House, A Book for the Young, successfully engaged the imagination of her young readers. This work was a popular and a notable example of the genre, and a departure from the moralising approach of contemporary works. The book also encapsulates a fantasy
tale of fairies and giants.
On the subject of children's literature, she says in her preface,
A monument was erected to her memory in Edinburgh
's New Town
. The inscription is,
Sinclair's activities in Edinburgh included charitable works such as the establishment of cooking depots in old and new Edinburgh, and in the maintenance of a mission station at the Water of Leith. She was instrumental in securing seats for crowded thoroughfares, and she set the example in Edinburgh of instituting drinking fountains, one of which bore her name and stood at the city's West End before it was removed as an obstruction to trams in 1926.
She died at the vicarage, Kensington
, the residence of her brother, Archdeacon John Sinclair on 6 Aug. 1864, and was interred in the burying-ground of St. John's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. Her portrait was drawn in crayon
s by James Archer, R.S.A. (cf. Cat. Third Loan Exhib. No. 620).
Undated and early works of Miss Sinclair's are: Charlie Seymour; Lives of the Cæsars, or the Juvenile Plutarch; Holiday House (once very popular with children); Modern Superstition; and Memoirs of the English Bible.
Her other principal works are:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
novelist and writer of children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
.
Life
Catherine Sinclair was born in Edinburgh on 17 April 1800, the fourth daughter of Sir John Sinclair, 1st BaronetSir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet was a Scottish politician, writer on finance and agriculture and the first person to use the word statistics in the English language, in his vast, pioneering work, Statistical Account of Scotland, in 21 volumes.Sinclair was the eldest son of George Sinclair of...
and Lady Diana Macdonald. Catherine died unmarried. Sir George Sinclair, 2nd Baronet
Sir George Sinclair, 2nd Baronet
-Life:George, eldest son of Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet of Ulbster, and Diana, only daughter of Alexander Macdonald, first lord Macdonald, was born in Edinburgh on 28 August 1790. His brothers John and William Sinclair and sister Catherine....
, John Sinclair (1797–1875), and William Sinclair
William Sinclair (rector)
-Life:William, the fifth son of Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet, of Ulbster, Caithness, by his second wife, Diana Macdonald, only daughter of Alexander, lord Macdonald of the Isles, was born on 4 Sept. 1804....
(1804–1878) were her brothers. She was her father's secretary from the age of fourteen till his death in 1835.
She then began independent authorship, her first works being children's books, prompted by interest in her nephew, the Hon. George Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow
George Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow
George Frederick Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow was a Scottish nobleman.He was the son of George Boyle, 4th Earl of Glasgow and Julia Sinclair, daughter of Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet....
.
Her story of two anarchic children, in Holiday House, A Book for the Young, successfully engaged the imagination of her young readers. This work was a popular and a notable example of the genre, and a departure from the moralising approach of contemporary works. The book also encapsulates a fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
tale of fairies and giants.
On the subject of children's literature, she says in her preface,
"But above all we never forget those who good humouredly complied with the constantly recurring petition of all young people in every generation, and in every house, — 'Will you tell us a story?'"
A monument was erected to her memory in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
's New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
. The inscription is,
"She was a friend of all children and through her book 'Holiday House' speaks to them still."
Sinclair's activities in Edinburgh included charitable works such as the establishment of cooking depots in old and new Edinburgh, and in the maintenance of a mission station at the Water of Leith. She was instrumental in securing seats for crowded thoroughfares, and she set the example in Edinburgh of instituting drinking fountains, one of which bore her name and stood at the city's West End before it was removed as an obstruction to trams in 1926.
She died at the vicarage, Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, the residence of her brother, Archdeacon John Sinclair on 6 Aug. 1864, and was interred in the burying-ground of St. John's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. Her portrait was drawn in crayon
Crayon
A crayon is a stick of colored wax, charcoal, chalk, or other materials used for writing, coloring, drawing, and other methods of illustration. A crayon made of oiled chalk is called an oil pastel; when made of pigment with a dry binder, it is simply a pastel; both are popular media for color...
s by James Archer, R.S.A. (cf. Cat. Third Loan Exhib. No. 620).
Works
Miss Sinclair wrote brightly and wittily, and displayed much skill in characterisation and description. Several of her books were popular in America.Undated and early works of Miss Sinclair's are: Charlie Seymour; Lives of the Cæsars, or the Juvenile Plutarch; Holiday House (once very popular with children); Modern Superstition; and Memoirs of the English Bible.
Her other principal works are:
- Modern Accomplishments, or the March of Intellect, a study of female education. 1836
- Shetland and the Shetlanders, or the Northern Circuit. 1840
- Scotland and the Scotch, or the Western Circuit. 1840 (republished in America, and translated into various languages)
- Modern Flirtations, or a Month at Harrowgate. 1841
- Scotch Courtiers and the Court. 1842
- Jane Bouverie, or Prosperity and Adversity. 1846
- The Journey of Life. 1847
- The Business of Life. 1848
- Sir Edward Graham, or Railway Speculators. 1849
- Lord and Lady Harcourt, or County Hospitalities. 1850
- The Kaleidoscope, or Anecdotes and Aphorisms. 1851
- Beatrice, or the Unknown Relatives. 1852
- Popish Legends, or Bible Truths. 1852
- London Homes. 1853
- Cross Purposes. 1853
- The Cabman's Holiday. 1855
- Torchester Abbey. 1857
- Anecdotes of the Cæsars. 1858
- Sketches and Short Stories of Scotland and the Scotch, and Shetland and the Shetlanders. 1859
- Sketches and Short Stories of Wales and the Welsh. 1860
External links
- Catherine Sinclair page on Rosslyntemplars.org