Kathleen Mannington Caffyn
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Mannington Caffyn (née Hunt) (c. 1855 – 6 February 1926) was an Irish – Australian novelist.
Kathleen was born in Tipperary
, Ireland, daughter of William de Vere Hunt, and was related to Aubrey de Vere
, the poet. She was educated by English and German governesses and moved to London when about 21 years of age. She trained as a nurse and married in 1879 Stephen Mannington Caffyn, a medical practitioner, and went with him to Sydney in 1880.
In 1883 they went to Melbourne where Dr Caffyn had suburban practices and lived in Brighton
until 1892. Mrs Mannington Caffyn was a founder of the District Nursing Society in Victoria and served on its committee for around two years.
Mrs Caffyn contributed a story of some sixty pages to Cooee: Tales of Australian Life by Australian Ladies (1891), and wrote a novel A Yellow Aster, which was published in London in 1894 under the pseudonym of "Iota". The Caffyns had returned to London in 1892, but the novel was written in Australia. It had an immediate success and was quickly followed by Children of Circumstance (1892) , and by some 15 other volumes in the 20 years that followed. These included A Quaker Grandmother (1896), Anne Manleverer (1899), He for God Only (1903), and Patricia: a Mother (1903), which rank among her better novels and were very popular in their time. All of her novels, except her first, were written after her return to England. Her last novel was Merry Mirrilies (1916).
Mrs Caffyn had the Irishwoman's love of horses and kept up her interest in hunting and polo until her death in Turin
, Italy on 6 February 1926. She was survived by a son.
Her husband, Stephen Mannington Caffyn,(1851–1896) , was born at Salehurst, Sussex. In Australia he contributed to The Bulletin
in its early days, published Miss Milne and I (1889), a novel which ran into two or three editions. This was followed by Poppy's Tears (1890). He also wrote a few medical pamphlets.
Kathleen was born in Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, Ireland, daughter of William de Vere Hunt, and was related to Aubrey de Vere
Aubrey De Vere
Aubrey De Vere may refer to:* Aubrey de Vere I * Aubrey de Vere II , master chamberlain of England* Aubrey de Vere III , first earl of Oxford* Aubrey de Vere IV , second earl of Oxford...
, the poet. She was educated by English and German governesses and moved to London when about 21 years of age. She trained as a nurse and married in 1879 Stephen Mannington Caffyn, a medical practitioner, and went with him to Sydney in 1880.
In 1883 they went to Melbourne where Dr Caffyn had suburban practices and lived in Brighton
Brighton, Victoria
Brighton is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Bayside. At the 2006 Census, Brighton had a population of 20,651...
until 1892. Mrs Mannington Caffyn was a founder of the District Nursing Society in Victoria and served on its committee for around two years.
Mrs Caffyn contributed a story of some sixty pages to Cooee: Tales of Australian Life by Australian Ladies (1891), and wrote a novel A Yellow Aster, which was published in London in 1894 under the pseudonym of "Iota". The Caffyns had returned to London in 1892, but the novel was written in Australia. It had an immediate success and was quickly followed by Children of Circumstance (1892) , and by some 15 other volumes in the 20 years that followed. These included A Quaker Grandmother (1896), Anne Manleverer (1899), He for God Only (1903), and Patricia: a Mother (1903), which rank among her better novels and were very popular in their time. All of her novels, except her first, were written after her return to England. Her last novel was Merry Mirrilies (1916).
Mrs Caffyn had the Irishwoman's love of horses and kept up her interest in hunting and polo until her death in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy on 6 February 1926. She was survived by a son.
Her husband, Stephen Mannington Caffyn,(1851–1896) , was born at Salehurst, Sussex. In Australia he contributed to The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
in its early days, published Miss Milne and I (1889), a novel which ran into two or three editions. This was followed by Poppy's Tears (1890). He also wrote a few medical pamphlets.