Mulock Family

Biography

Dinah Maria Mulock, daughter of Thomas and Mary Dinah Mulock, was born on April 20, 1826 at Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England; her father was a minister, who later was separated from his family; her mother died in 1845; her brother Benjamin (1829-63) was a civil engineer whose work took him to Brazil, Russia and other places; her other brother Thomas spent much time at sea; Dinah Maria moved to London about 1846; began writing stories for young people, as well as poetry and novels, including Cola monti (1849), The Ogilvies (1849), Olive (1850), John Halifax, gentleman (1857), The little lame prince (1874), and Poems of thirty years, new and old (1881); she married George Lillie Craik, a partner in the house of Macmillan and Company, in 1864, and moved to Shortlands, near Bromley, Kent; she died on October 12, 1887.

Biographical Narrative

The Mulock Family Papers is a collection of correspondence, manuscripts and ephemera of the Mulock family, mainly relating to the authoress Dinah Maria Mulock, afterwards Mrs. Craik. The major part of the collection consists of correspondence between Dinah Craik and her brother Ben Mulock, a few letters from her brother Thomas Mulock, correspondence from her father Thomas Mulock, and a few notes relating to her mother Dinah Mulock. In addition, there are several letters to Dinah Craik from various aunts, and many letters between members of the family, letters to members of the family from various persons, and a large group of letters to Dinah Craik from various persons as well as letters from her to various persons. Also included, is correspondence from the Craik family, containing letters from Dinah Craik to her adopted daughter Dorothy, letters from her husband George Lillie Craik to Dorothy, plus additional correspondence of Mr. Craik.

Dinah Maria Mulock was born April 20, 1826 in Staffordshire, daughter of Thomas Mulock a minister and religious fanatic who was removed to the Stafford Lunatic Asylum in 1832, released in 1838, but later permanently separated from his family. Her mother, Mary Dinah Mellard Mulock b. 1794, daughter of Thomas Mellard, died in 1845, after which Dinah Craik's relationship with her father became estranged, and appears to have continued later only through correspondence.

Her younger brother, Ben Mulock, 1829-1863, was a civil engineer who traveled to Brazil, Russia and other areas of the world on several jobs. The extensive correspondence between Ben and Dinah reveals a warm and confiding relationship. Little information is available about her other brother Thomas Mulock, b. 1827. From his letters it appears that he spent much time at sea, and from the apparent omission of Mulock Family names in obituary notices of Dinah Craik's death, it appears he died prior to 1887.

In 1864, Dinah Maria Mulock married George Lillie Craik, apparently a nephew of the well known George Lillie Craik, 1798-1866, and a partner of Macmillan and Company. In 1869, the couple adopted a little girl, Dorothy.

From 1849 until her death in 1887, numerous works from her pen were published, including famous childrens' books such as The Little Lame Prince, novels such as John Halifax, Gentleman, plus many didactic essays.

This collection provides a wealth of fascinating details concerning the background of Dinah Craik, the psychological environment of her youth, her familial relationships, circumstances surrounding the adoption of Dorothy, and evidence of her many friendships with promiment men and women of the time.

For further information see: Dictionary of national biography ; edited by Leslie Stephan and Sidney Lee.

vol.13. London, Smith, Elder and Company, 1908-1909.

From the guide to the Mulock Family Papers, 1803-1893, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)