Cynthia Harnett
Cynthia Harnett (1893-1981) was a notable English author and illustrator recognized for her contributions to children's historical fiction. Born in London, she studied at the Chelsea School of Art, where she collaborated with her cousin, artist George Vernon Stokes. Harnett's writing career began during the mid-20th century, producing over a dozen children's books with Stokes and several independent works. She gained acclaim for her detailed storytelling, particularly in four key novels set in fifteenth-century England, including "The Wool-Pack," which won the prestigious Carnegie Medal in 1951.
Harnett's books are characterized by their rich historical context and vibrant illustrations, often including maps and family trees to enhance the reading experience. Her ability to blend factual history with engaging narratives has left a lasting impact on children's literature. Additionally, her meticulous research is evident in her descriptions of daily life in historical settings. Harnett remained dedicated to her craft until her passing, living in a historic house near London that reflected her deep appreciation for history.
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Subject Terms
Cynthia Harnett
Writer
- Born: June 22, 1893
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: October 25, 1981
Biography
Cynthia Harnett was born on June 11, 1893, in London, England, the daughter of William O’Sullivan Harnett and Clara Stokes Harnett. She studied at the Chelsea School of Art in London with her cousin George Vernon Stokes, an artist well-known for his portraits and engravings of dogs. During World War I and World War II, Harnett and Stokes worked in the office of British Censorship.
Harnett began her career as a writer and illustrator of children’s books in collaboration with Stokes. Together, they produced more than one dozen books between 1937 and 1950. Harnett also wrote children’s books on her own and illustrated the majority of them herself. One of the books she both wrote and illustrated, The Wool-Pack, was awarded the 1951 Carnegie Medal for Outstanding Children’s Book of the Year. Another book, The Drawbridge Gate (also known as Ring out Bow Bells!), won an award at the Spring Book Festival in 1954; a third, The Load of Unicorn (1959), received a Carnegie Medal in 1959; and Harnett’s final work, The Writing on the Hearth, illustrated by Gareth Floyd, received an award at the 1973 Spring Book Festival.
Harnett is most well known for four books that take place in fifteenth century England: The Wool-Pack, Ring out Bow Bells!, The Load of Unicorn, and The Writing on the Hearth. Written for middle-grade readers, the books show Harnett’s mastery of children’s historical fiction. The Writing on the Hearth is typical of her work. The fictional story of Steven, a poor but intelligent boy befriended by the fourth earl of Suffolk after Steven’s father saves his life, is woven through the historical story of the struggle for power between Suffolk and the duke of Gloucester, which ended as the duchess of Gloucester was condemned for plotting to kill King Henry VI and her aide, Roger Bolingbroke, was executed for sorcery.
Harnett combines thorough research with exciting plots and believable characters. In each book, she presents the details of her protagonists’ everyday lives, including how items looked, felt, smelled, sounded, and tasted. In The Writing on the Hearth, for example, she details the workings of a lock on the river, the making of candles, and the fact that fish scales were saved to make rosary beads. Her illustrations include coats of arms and maps of London and surrounding areas at the time the events in each book take place, and she draws family trees for the historical figures. In her postscripts, she distinguishes between the historical facts she used and the fictions she built around them, which gives an insight into her writing process. For example, in discussing the earthquake that swallowed up the cottage of Old Meg, the purported witch of The Writing on the Hearth, Harnett defends the probability of such a phenomenon by citing a 1953 earthquake that occurred in the chalk hills of a nearby area.
Until Harnett died on October 25, 1981, she lived in a small house built in the sixteenth century and located just west of London.