Margaret Barber
Encyclopedia
Margaret Fairless Barber (7 May 1869 – 24 August 1901), pseudonym Michael Fairless, was an English
Christian
writer
whose book of meditation
s, The Roadmender
(1902) achieved huge popularity in its time.
, Brighouse
, West Riding of Yorkshire
, the youngest of three daughters. She was initially tutored at home by her mother, Maria Louisa, née Musgrave (1831–1890) and elder sisters. Barber was an eager reader but when her father, solicitor
and amateur archaeologist Fairless Barber, died in 1881, her mother, unable to cope, sent her to relatives in Torquay
where she attended a local school. It was here that she became aware of a spinal
condition that would affect the rest of her life. She settled with her mother in Bungay, Suffolk
.
In 1884, Barber went to London
to train as a nurse at a children's hospital
. She also travelled to Torquay to care for a relative and did charitable
work in the East End of London. However, her health continued to deteriorate, including her sight
and she was in continual need of care herself. To the dismay of her relatives, she was effectively "adopted" by the cultured Dowson family who took care of her in their family home.
Unable to continue her charitable work, Barber took up writing under the pseudonym Michael Fairless, the "Michael" inspired by her childhood friend Michael McDonnell
(1882-1956), subsequently chief justice of the British Mandate of Palestine. Her first book was the religious romance The Gathering of Brother Hilarius (1901) but it was The Roadmender
(1902) that achieved a wild success, being reprinted 31 times in 10 years.
Barber died in Henfield
, West Sussex
while on vacation with the Dowsons, and is buried at Ashurst, West Sussex
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
whose book of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
s, The Roadmender
The Roadmender
The Roadmender is a 1902 Christian spiritual book by Margaret Barber, writing under the pseudonym Michael Fairless. The book was enormously popular in its time, running through 31 editions in 10 years....
(1902) achieved huge popularity in its time.
Life
Barber was born in RastrickRastrick
Rastrick is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax. It is perhaps best known for its association, along with its neighbour Brighouse, with the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band...
, Brighouse
Brighouse
Brighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the...
, West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, the youngest of three daughters. She was initially tutored at home by her mother, Maria Louisa, née Musgrave (1831–1890) and elder sisters. Barber was an eager reader but when her father, solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and amateur archaeologist Fairless Barber, died in 1881, her mother, unable to cope, sent her to relatives in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
where she attended a local school. It was here that she became aware of a spinal
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
condition that would affect the rest of her life. She settled with her mother in Bungay, Suffolk
Bungay, Suffolk
Bungay is a market town in the English county of Suffolk. It lies in the Waveney valley, west of Beccles on the edge of The Broads, and at the neck of a meander of the River Waveney.-Early history:...
.
In 1884, Barber went to 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...
to train as a nurse at a children's hospital
Children's hospital
A children's hospital is a hospital which offers its services exclusively to children . The number of children's hospitals proliferated in the 20th century, as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties...
. She also travelled to Torquay to care for a relative and did charitable
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
work in the East End of London. However, her health continued to deteriorate, including her sight
Visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...
and she was in continual need of care herself. To the dismay of her relatives, she was effectively "adopted" by the cultured Dowson family who took care of her in their family home.
Unable to continue her charitable work, Barber took up writing under the pseudonym Michael Fairless, the "Michael" inspired by her childhood friend Michael McDonnell
Michael McDonnell
Sir Michael Francis Joseph McDonnell was Chief Justice of Palestine between 1927 and 1936. McDonnell attended the public St. Paul's school, London . He went on to read medicine and then law at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he also served as president of the Cambridge Union Society...
(1882-1956), subsequently chief justice of the British Mandate of Palestine. Her first book was the religious romance The Gathering of Brother Hilarius (1901) but it was The Roadmender
The Roadmender
The Roadmender is a 1902 Christian spiritual book by Margaret Barber, writing under the pseudonym Michael Fairless. The book was enormously popular in its time, running through 31 editions in 10 years....
(1902) that achieved a wild success, being reprinted 31 times in 10 years.
Barber died in Henfield
Henfield
Henfield is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies south of London, northwest of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester at the road junction of the A281 and A2037. The parish has a land area of . In the 2001 census 5,012...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
while on vacation with the Dowsons, and is buried at Ashurst, West Sussex
Ashurst, West Sussex
Ashurst is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England, about west of Henfield, and south of Horsham on the B2135 road. The village is about west of the River Adur. There is a 12-century parish church dedicated to St James, a C of E primary school and a pub, the...
.