Mary De Morgan

Born in London on February 24, 1850, Mary De Morgan was the daughter of mathematician Augustus De Morgan and social reformer Sophia De Morgan. She grew up in an intellectually lively family and became part of a wider circle of artists and thinkers through her brother, the ceramic designer William De Morgan.

She is remembered chiefly for her literary fairy tales, especially collections such as On a Pincushion and The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde. Writing in the late Victorian period, she used fantasy to explore greed, power, vanity, and justice, often giving old story shapes a fresh, independent edge.

Although she never became as famous as some of her contemporaries, her stories have continued to attract readers interested in Victorian fantasy and early feminist children’s literature. She died on May 18, 1907.