Mulock Family papers, 1803-1893

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Summary

Creators:
Mulock Family
Abstract:
Dinah Maria Mulock (1826-1887) wrote stories for young people, as well as poetry and novels. Her brother Benjamin (1829-63) was a civil engineer, and her other brother, Thomas, spent much time at sea. The collection consists of correspondence, manuscripts, and ephemera of the Mulock family, mainly relating to Dinah Maria Mulock. Includes correspondence of the Mulock family and a large group of letters to Dinah from various persons as well as letters from her to various persons. Dinah's incomplete 10-page short story manuscript, The modern children in the wood, is also in the collection.
Extent:
2 boxes (1.0 linear ft.)
Language:
Finding aid is written in English. and Materials are in English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of correspondence, manuscripts, and ephemera of the Mulock family, mainly relating to author Dinah Maria Mulock, afterwards Mrs. Craik. Includes correspondence between Dinah Craik and her brother Benjamin Mulock, a few letters from her brother Thomas Mulock, correspondence from her father Thomas Mulock, and a few notes relating to her mother Dinah Mulock. In addition, there are several letters to Dinah Craik from various aunts, and many letters between members of the family, letters to members of the family from various persons, and a large group of letters to Dinah Craik from various persons as well as letters from her to various persons. Also includes correspondence from the Craik family containing letters from Dinah Craik to her adopted daughter Dorothy, letters from her husband George Lillie Craik to Dorothy, plus additional correspondence of Mr. Craik. Dinah Craik's incomplete 10-page short story manuscript, The modern children in the wood, is also in the collection.

Biographical / historical:

Dinah Maria Mulock, daughter of Thomas and Mary Dinah Mulock, was born on April 20, 1826 at Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England; her father was a minister, who later was separated from his family; her mother died in 1845; her brother Benjamin (1829-63) was a civil engineer whose work took him to Brazil, Russia and other places; her other brother Thomas spent much time at sea; Dinah Maria moved to London about 1846; began writing stories for young people, as well as poetry and novels, including Cola monti (1849), The Ogilvies (1849), Olive (1850), John Halifax, gentleman (1857), The little lame prince (1874), and Poems of thirty years, new and old (1881); she married George Lillie Craik, a partner in the house of Macmillan and Company, in 1864, and moved to Shortlands, near Bromley, Kent; she died on October 12, 1887.

Biographical Narrative

The Mulock Family Papers is a collection of correspondence, manuscripts and ephemera of the Mulock family, mainly relating to the authoress Dinah Maria Mulock, afterwards Mrs. Craik. The major part of the collection consists of correspondence between Dinah Craik and her brother Ben Mulock, a few letters from her brother Thomas Mulock, correspondence from her father Thomas Mulock, and a few notes relating to her mother Dinah Mulock. In addition, there are several letters to Dinah Craik from various aunts, and many letters between members of the family, letters to members of the family from various persons, and a large group of letters to Dinah Craik from various persons as well as letters from her to various persons. Also included, is correspondence from the Craik family, containing letters from Dinah Craik to her adopted daughter Dorothy, letters from her husband George Lillie Craik to Dorothy, plus additional correspondence of Mr. Craik.

Dinah Maria Mulock was born April 20, 1826 in Staffordshire, daughter of Thomas Mulock a minister and religious fanatic who was removed to the Stafford Lunatic Asylum in 1832, released in 1838, but later permanently separated from his family. Her mother, Mary Dinah Mellard Mulock b. 1794, daughter of Thomas Mellard, died in 1845, after which Dinah Craik's relationship with her father became estranged, and appears to have continued later only through correspondence.

Her younger brother, Ben Mulock, 1829-1863, was a civil engineer who traveled to Brazil, Russia and other areas of the world on several jobs. The extensive correspondence between Ben and Dinah reveals a warm and confiding relationship. Little information is available about her other brother Thomas Mulock, b. 1827. From his letters it appears that he spent much time at sea, and from the apparent omission of Mulock Family names in obituary notices of Dinah Craik's death, it appears he died prior to 1887.

In 1864, Dinah Maria Mulock married George Lillie Craik, apparently a nephew of the well known George Lillie Craik, 1798-1866, and a partner of Macmillan and Company. In 1869, the couple adopted a little girl, Dorothy.

From 1849 until her death in 1887, numerous works from her pen were published, including famous childrens' books such as The Little Lame Prince, novels such as John Halifax, Gentleman, plus many didactic essays.

This collection provides a wealth of fascinating details concerning the background of Dinah Craik, the psychological environment of her youth, her familial relationships, circumstances surrounding the adoption of Dorothy, and evidence of her many friendships with prominent men and women of the time.

For further information see: Dictionary of national biography; edited by Leslie Stephan and Sidney Lee.

vol.13. London, Smith, Elder and Company, 1908-1909.

Genealogy of The Craik Family

  • William Craik + Peterson Lillie (daughter of Henry Lillie)
    • Henry (1804-1866)
    • George Lillie (1798-1866) married in 1826: Jeannette Dempster (d. 1856)
      • Adopted child, Dorothy (b. 1869) married: Alexander J. Pilkington
    • James (1802 - 1870) married Margaret Grieve.
      • James and Margaret Craik had five sons, two of which were:
        • George Lillie married in 1864: Dinah Maria Mulock (1826-1887)
        • Henry (Sir Henry Craik, bart., 1846-1927) (1st Bt. created in 1926) married in 1873: Fanny Esther Duffield (d. 1923)
          • Henry and Fanny Craik had three sons, two of which were:
            • George Lillie (Sir George Lillie Craik, bart., 1874-1929.) (succeeded father in 1927) married in 1928: Mary Francis Lyttleton.
            • Henry Duffield (Sir Henry Duffield Craik, bart., 1876- .) (succeeded brother in 1929) married in 1901: Emily Henrietta (D'O) Bakere-Carr (d. 1931)
              • Henry and Emily had two daughters, one of which was:
                • Lady Robert William Targett (former Mrs. R.E. Mackessack)

Genealogy of The Mulock Family

  • Robert Mulock + M_____ Mulock (From the family papers it appears that Robert Mulock and his wife had four daughters and one son)
    • A_____
    • Alicia
    • Eliza
    • Jane
    • Thomas married: Mary Dinah Mellard (1794-1845)
      • Thomas (b. 1827)
      • Benjamin Robert (1829-1863)
      • Dinah Maria (1826-1887) married in 1864: George Lillie Craik
        • Adopted child, Dorothy (b. 1869) married: Alexander J. Pilkington

Sources:

  • The Mulock Family Papers
  • Dictionary of national biography; edited by Leslie Stephan and Sidney Lee. Vol. V , Vol. XIII . London, Smith, Elder and Company, 1908-1909.
  • Dictionary of national biography, twentieth century; edited by J.R. H. Weaver. London, Oxford University Press, 1937.

Acquisition information:
Hamill and Barker, purchase, 1963.
Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Women novelists, English--19th century--Archival resources.
Indexes:

Index

* Indicates that an added entry card has been added to the Numbered Collection File.

Austin, Alfred, 1835-1913 Box 2 folder 14
Brodie, Helen Box 2 folder 14
*Chalmers, Frederick Box 2 folder 14
Chandler, M. Box 2 folder 14
*Clacy, Ellen Mrs. Charles Clacy Box 2 folder 14
*Clarendon, George William Frederick Villiers, 4th earl of, 1800-1870 Box 2 folder 24
*Cory, William Johnson, 1823-1892 Box 2 folder 14
*Craik, Dinah Maria (Mulock) 1826-1887 Box 1 folders 1-10,12
Box 1 folders 13,14,16,20,30,31,32-35
*Craik, Dorothy, 1869- Box 1 folders 15-17
*Craik, George Lillie Box 2 folders 14,15,18,19
*Craik, George Lillie, 1798-1866 Box 2 folder 36
*Craik, Sir Henry, bart., 1846-1927 Box 2 folder 14
*Craik, James, 1802-1870 Box 2 folder 14
Craik, Margaret Box 2 folder 14
Fenton, Thomas Box 2 folder 23
*Froude, James Anthony, 1818-1894 Box 2 folder 14
*Fulford, William, fl. 1859-1865 Box 2 folders 14,23
Griffin, Thomas, Jr. Box 2 folder 25
*Hall, Anna Maria (Fielding) Mrs. S.C. Hall, 1800-1881 Box 2 folder 14
Harper, folder M. Box 2 folder 14
Harral, Horace Box 1 folder 13
Harrison, Anna Box 2 folder 14
*Helps, Sir Arthur, 1813-1875 Box 2 folders 14,18
Herford, Laura Box 2 folder 14
*Hunt, William Holman, 1827-1910 Box 2 folder 18
Hyde, W.H. Box 2 folder 24
*Laing, M.S., b. ca. 1804- Box 2 folder 13,14
*Macmillan, Alexander, 1818-1896 Box 2 folder 14
*Marston, John Westland, 1819-1890 Box 1 folder 11
Martin, Ellen Box 2 folder 14
*May, Georgiana Marian (Craik) 1831-1895 Box 1 folder 11 and Box 2 folders 14,37
Mayall, J.E. Box 1 folder 11
*Mudie, Charles Edward, 1818-1890 Box 2 folder 14
*Mulock, Benjamin Robert, 1829-1863 Box 1 folder 1-9,11, and Box 2 folders 34,35
Mulock, John Box 2 folder 24
*Mulock, M. Mrs. Robert Mulock. Box 2 folders 21,24,26
*Mulock, Mary Dinah (Mellard) 1794-1845 Box 1 folders 13,26,34
Mulock, Robert Box 2 folder 21
*Mulock, Thomas Box 2 folders 20-25,27,28
*Mulock, Thomas, 1827- Box 1 folder 12
Novello, Sabilla Box 2 folder 13
Ogilvie, Ellen Box 2 folder 14
Parker, W. Box 2 folder 14
*Paton, Sir Joseph Noel, 1821-1901 Box 2 folders 14,29
Pilkington, Alexander J. Box 2 folders 13-15,19
Pilkington, Mina C. Box 2 folder 14
Segge, Caroline Box 2 folder 14,17
Springfield, George Box 2 folders 13,14
Wallinger, J.A. Box 2 folder 25
*Wilkinson, Sarah Box 2 folder 14
Wilson, C.A. Box 2 folder 14
Wilson, Deenie Box 2 folder 14
Witt, Daisey de Box 2 folder 14
*Witt, Henriette Elizabeth (Guizot) dame de, 1829-1908. (Witt, Guizot de) Box 2 folders 14,32
Witt, Marie de Box 2 folder 14
Wrenard, Annette Box 2 folder 14
*Yonge, Charlotte Mary, 1823-1901 Box 2 folder 14

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website