E. M. Field

Life
1856-1941 [Mrs E. M. Field; née Louisa Frances Story; occas. Louisa Frances Field]; b. Cavan; dg. J. Story, JP, DL, of Bingfield, Crossdoney, Co. Cavan; she was the author of Ethne(1887; 3rd. Edn. 1911), set in the period of “Hell or Connaught” and concerning the conversion of the title-character to Protestantism by contact with Roger Steadfast; Bryda (1893), a tale of the Indian [Sepoy] Mutiny; Denis(1896), set in the famine and ded. to the author’s ‘kinsfolk and friends among the landowners of Ireland’, and At the King’s Right Hand (1904), a novel; other works for or about children incl. Mixed Pickles (1884) and The Child and His Book (1891); an “Address to Mothers” appeared in 1926; d. 31 Dec. 1941; Sir Nicolas Bevan is a great-grandson. IF IBL

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Works
Fiction
  • Mixed Pickles: A Story Book for Children (London: Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1884), 148pp., ill. [T. Pym], and Do. [US edns.] (NY: A. L. Burt; Philadephia: Henry Altemus & Co. 1900), and Do. [large format], 211pp., ill. [1 col. & 16 b&w pls. c.31 in text].
  • Ethne, being a truthful historie of the great and final settlement of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell, and certain other noteworthy events, from the records of Ethne O’Connor and of Roger Standfast (1887; 3nd edn. 1888; edns. in 1902, 1911), viii, 312, 40pp., ill. [1 lf pls.].
  • Bryda: A Story of the Indian Mutiny (London: Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co.1893), vii-ix, 235pp., ill. [A. Forestier].
  • Little Count Paul: A Story of Troublesome Times (London: Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1895 [1896]), ill. [A. Forestier; 8. b&w pls.].
  • Master Magnus; or, The Prince, the Princess and the Dragon (1895).
  • The Child and His Book: Some Account of the History and Progress of Children’s Literature in England (1891; 2nd edn. 1895), viii, 358pp., ill [4 lvs of pls.].
  • Denis: A Study in Black and White [Two Shilling Library] (London & NY: Macmillan 1896), viii, 414, 56pp., and Do. [another edn.] (London: Macmillan 1902), 414pp.
  • At the King’s Right Hand (London: Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. 1904), 352pp., ill.
Drama
  • Two are Company; or Madge and May at Work and Play (1905).

Publications by Mrs E. M. Field (1856-1941)
  • The Way Thither. 2 vols. 380pp & 395pp. Published anonymously but referred to as by Mrs Field in an advertisement for Ethne.
  • Mixed Pickles, a Story for Boys and Girls. Small 16mo. 148 pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. (1884). Illustrated (in text) by T. Pym. Published also in New York (A. L. Burt) and Philadelphia (Henry Altemus & Co) in 1900 and later in a larger format (211pp) with 1 colour and 16 black and white plates and text illustrations (or 31 illustrations?).
  • (A Peck of Troubles. No copy seen but referred to in an advertisement for Ethne.)
  • Ethne. 312 pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1887 and later editions.
  • The Child and his Book. 156pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1891 and 1895. Reprinted in USA in 1968.
  • Bid Me to Live. 16pp. The Penny Popular Library, No. 10. 1891. (No copy seen)
  • Bryda. 235pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1893. Illustrated by A. Forestier (11 black and white plates).
  • Little Count Paul. 232pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. (1895). Illustrated by A. Forestier (8 black and white plates).
  • Master Magnus, or the Prince, the Princess and the Dragon. 192pp. Edward Arnold. (1895). 4 black and white plates.
  • Denis. 414pp. Macmillan & Co. 1896.
  • Our Village Candidates Class. 85pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1898.
  • At the King’s Right Hand. 352pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1904. Illustrated by A. G. Walker (21 black and white plates).
  • Two are Company, or Madge and May at Work and Play. 16mo. 131pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. 1905 and 1906. Illustrated by Francis D. Bedford (6 colour plates).
  • Castle Dangerous of Canada. 255pp. Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. (1913). Illustrated by Leonard S. Skeats (8 black and white plates).
  • Addresses to Mothers. 174pp. James Clarke & Co. 1926.
Note: this bibliographical listing has been supplied by Sir Nicolas Bevan [great-grandson of the writer].

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Criticism
See Irish Book Lover, Vol. 2. See also Stephen Brown, in References, infra.

 

Commentary
Margaret Kelleher, ‘Irish Famine in Literature’, in Cáthal Portéir, ed., The Great Irish Famine [Thomas Davis Lectures Series], RTÉ/Mercier, 1995, cites Louisa Field as author of Denis (London: Macmillan 1896) and quotes her assertion that fiction about the famine throws ‘some light on circumstances and characteristics too often unknown and ignored, which yet are vital factors in that vast an every-recurring problem, the Irish Question.’ (Kelleher, p.236.).

 

References
Stephen Brown, Ireland in Fiction: A Guide to Irish Novels, Tales, Romances and Folklore [Pt. I] (Dublin: Maunsel 1919), lists Denis (Macmillan 1896), viii+414pp., a story of famine with ’interesting port. of Young Ireland leader; rather anti-national; ded. to “my kinsfolk and friends among the landowners of Ireland”; Ethne (Wells, Gardner 1902; 3rd edn. 1911), tale of Cromwellian transplantation to Connaught [...] from diary of Ethne O’Connor, dg. of one tranplanted, who is converted to the religion of Roger Standfast-on-the-Rock by a single reading of the bible; ‘the interest is mainly religious’ [Brown].

Libraries & Booksellers
Belfast Central Library holds Denis (1896), and Ethne (1887). Eggeley Books (Cat. 44) lists Denis, A Study in Black and White (Macmillan 1902), rep., viii, 414pp.

 

Notes
Namesake: Various non-contemporary E. M. Fields are listed in library catalogues. The Love Affairs of a Bibliomaniac (1896) is by one Eugene Field.

Obit.: While some catalogues give her death-date as 1940, her great-grandson Sir Nicolas Bevan confirms from contemporary obituaries that she died on 31 Feb. 1941.

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