Katharine Mary Briggs
Encyclopedia
Katharine Mary Briggs was an English writer, who wrote The Anatomy of Puck, the 4-volume Dictionary of British Folk-Tales, and various other books on fairies
and folklore
.
, London
, the eldest of three surviving daughters of Ernest Edward Briggs, who came from Yorkshire
(his family had had great success in coal mining
in Halifax
and Wakefield
), and Mary Cooper. The other two sisters were named Winifred and Elspeth. Ernest was a watercolour artist with a specific interest in Scottish
scenery who often told his children stories, possibly sparking Katharine's life-long interest in them. The family moved to Perthshire
in 1911, where Ernest built a house, Dalbeathie House. Ernest died there two years later in 1913. Katharine began attending Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
in 1918, obtained a BA
in 1922, and took her MA
in 1926.
Returning home (because of the family coal legacy, and a colliery
in Normantown
, she did not need to seek work), she began writing and running plays - the entire family enjoyed theatrical productions, and it was a life-long interest of Katharine's - while she studied folklore and 17th century English history
. She gained her PhD
with a thesis on Folklore in seventeenth century literature (Folklore in Jacobean Literature) after the Second World War
; during the war, she had been busy teaching in a Polish
refuge school and working for the medical branch of the WAAF
. After her first book on British fairies, The Personnel of Fairyland, Briggs went on to write many other books on folklore, including the 4-volume A Dictionary of British Folktales in the English Language (published in 1971), The Anatomy of Puck and its sequel, Pale Hecate's Team (1962), An Encyclopedia of Fairies (1976), and various other books on fairies and folklore; a number were children's books
like The Legend of Maiden-Hair (her first published book) or Hobberdy Dick, and Kate Crackernuts. She was awarded the Doctorate in Literature in 1969. She lived the latter part of her life at Barn House in Burford
, along with her sisters and her many cats, while working for the Folklore Society
, which named an award in her honour. Briggs died in 1980.
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
and folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
.
Biography
She was born in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, 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...
, the eldest of three surviving daughters of Ernest Edward Briggs, who came from Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
(his family had had great success in coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
in Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
and Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
), and Mary Cooper. The other two sisters were named Winifred and Elspeth. Ernest was a watercolour artist with a specific interest in Scottish
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...
scenery who often told his children stories, possibly sparking Katharine's life-long interest in them. The family moved to Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
in 1911, where Ernest built a house, Dalbeathie House. Ernest died there two years later in 1913. Katharine began attending Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Lady Margaret Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located at the end of Norham Gardens in north Oxford. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £34m....
in 1918, obtained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1922, and took her MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
in 1926.
Returning home (because of the family coal legacy, and a colliery
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
in Normantown
Normanton, West Yorkshire
Normanton is a town and civil parish within the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is northeast of Wakefield and southwest of Castleford, and at the time of the 2001 Census, the population was 19,949.-History:...
, she did not need to seek work), she began writing and running plays - the entire family enjoyed theatrical productions, and it was a life-long interest of Katharine's - while she studied folklore and 17th century English history
Early Modern Britain
Early modern Britain is the history of the island of Great Britain, roughly corresponding to the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Major historical events in Early Modern British history include the English Renaissance, the English Reformation and Scottish Reformation, the English Civil War, the...
. She gained her PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
with a thesis on Folklore in seventeenth century literature (Folklore in Jacobean Literature) after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; during the war, she had been busy teaching in a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
refuge school and working for the medical branch of the WAAF
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
. After her first book on British fairies, The Personnel of Fairyland, Briggs went on to write many other books on folklore, including the 4-volume A Dictionary of British Folktales in the English Language (published in 1971), The Anatomy of Puck and its sequel, Pale Hecate's Team (1962), An Encyclopedia of Fairies (1976), and various other books on fairies and folklore; a number were children's books
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...
like The Legend of Maiden-Hair (her first published book) or Hobberdy Dick, and Kate Crackernuts. She was awarded the Doctorate in Literature in 1969. She lived the latter part of her life at Barn House in Burford
Burford
Burford is a small town on the River Windrush in the Cotswold hills in west Oxfordshire, England, about west of Oxford, southeast of Cheltenham and only from the Gloucestershire boundary...
, along with her sisters and her many cats, while working for 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...
, which named an award in her honour. Briggs died in 1980.
External links
- Archives Hub page
- Entry at The University of Southern MississippiThe University of Southern MississippiThe University of Southern Mississippi, informally known as Southern Miss, is a large public research university located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. It is situated north of Gulfport, Mississippi and northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana...
de Grummond Collection - Genealogical entries and biographical sketches of Ernest Edward Briggs and Katharine
- Biographical sketch from the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
-(pdf) - Katharine Briggs Award Commemorates Briggs as scholar and former Folklore Society President