author
Arthur Mee
1875–1943
Best known for creating The Children's Encyclopaedia, this English writer and editor helped shape how generations of young readers discovered history, science, and the wider world. His books mixed curiosity, instruction, and a strong sense of place that made learning feel lively and accessible.
1 Audiobook
The Fiddlers; Drink in the Witness Box
by Arthur Mee
About the author
Born in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, on July 21, 1875, Arthur Mee was an English writer, journalist, and educator. He left school at 14 and began work in journalism young, later building a remarkably wide career as an editor and popular writer.
He is most closely associated with The Children's Encyclopaedia, one of the best-known reference works for young readers in the early 20th century. He was also known for The Children's Newspaper, The Harmsworth Self-Educator, and The King's England, a large guidebook series celebrating towns, villages, landscapes, and historic buildings across England.
Mee's writing was meant to inform and inspire ordinary readers, especially children and families. He died on May 27, 1943, but his work remained widely read for years afterward, and he is still remembered as an energetic popularizer of knowledge.