Julia Corner (1798–1875), also known as Miss Corner, was a British children's educational writer who created ''Miss Corner's Historical Library''.

Life

Corner was born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in 1798. Her father, John Corner, was an engraver. She initially wrote novels which she continued after she became associated with a series of history books. In 1840 she published ''The History of Spain and Portugal'' and the ''History of France''. The former was criticised by the ''Church of England Quarterly Review'' as an "apologist for the Jesuits" although "Miss Julia Corner"'s good intentions and the low price of her books was appreciated. These history books eventually covered many countries and built up into what was known as ''Miss Corner's Historical Library''. Miss Julia Corners illustration by Davenport for book about Germany

Miss Julia Corners illustration by Davenport for book about Germany

Corner wrote simple stories for children and books for their instructionBooks of Instruction. 0526: Julia Corner, ''Little Mary's Reading Book written in very easy language''
Hockcliffe Project, De Montfort University as well as history books about the ancient Britons, Saxons, and Normans. She was published by low cost publishers like

Henry George Bohn Henry George Bohn (4 January 179622 August 1884) was a British publisher. He is principally remembered for the ''Bohn's Libraries'' which he inaugurated. These were begun in 1846, targeted the mass market, and comprised editions of standard works ...

for whom she created books about India and China in the 1850s. Her books about countries, ''Miss Corner's Historical Library'', would be illustrated and they would include anecdotes, tables of historical events, maps, different aspects of history and questions were raised that related to the text in the style of

Richmal Mangnall Richmal Mangnall (1769–1820) was an English schoolmistress and the writer of a famous schoolbook, ''Mangnall's Questions''. This had been through 84 editions by 1857. She became the headmistress of Crofton Hall, a successful Yorkshire school, ...

. Corner had published an educational book based around questions about Europe which she saw as a sequel to

's ''Questions for the Use of Young People''. Corner also created revised editions of other writer's books including Anne Rodwell's ''A Child's First Step to the History of England''. Her usually conservative books also included plays for children in

Dean & Son Dean & Son was a 19th-century London publishing firm, best known for making and mass-producing moveable children's books and toy books, established around 1800. Thomas Dean founded the firm, probably in the late 1790s, bringing to it innovative ...

's series, ''Little Plays for Little People'' which she advocated for their educational value. In 1854, she wrote a play for children based around the

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine T ...

fairy story which was illustrated by Alfred Henry Forrester working under his nom de plume of Alfred Crowquill. Corner died in

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Roa ...

on 16 August 1875. She was unmarried and had no children and left her name associated with nearly 250 different works.Miss Corner
Worldcat, retrieved 4 October 2014

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Corner, Julia 1798 births 1875 deaths Writers from London British children's writers British women writers 19th-century women writers