Mabel Quiller-Couch

Born in Bodmin, Cornwall, Florence Mabel Quiller-Couch (17 June 1865 – November 1924) was an English editor, compiler, and children’s writer. She was the daughter of Dr. Thomas Quiller-Couch and Mary Ford, and the elder sister of the writer and critic Arthur Quiller-Couch.

She published widely in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, writing children’s books and novels including A Waif and a Welcome, The Story of Jessie, Dick and Brownie, The Carroll Girls, and Anxious Audrey. With her sister Lilian Quiller-Couch, she also co-wrote Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall, a work that reflects the family’s deep connection to Cornish history and folklore.

Her life and writing remained closely tied to Cornwall even when she later lived in Cambridge and London. That mix of regional feeling, domestic storytelling, and interest in younger readers gives her work its lasting charm.