Background
Umphelby was born and died in London.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Fanny Umphelby
Edit ProfileCareer
By a Lady. She wrote The Child"s Guide to Knowledge. The 1900 Dictionary of National Biography indicates that on publication in 1825 it "became at once a standard" book in the classroom. The book was first published as 262 Questions and Answers, with the modest attribution "by a Lady", but was later retitled in full The Child"s Guide to Knowledge.
Being a Collection of Useful and Familiar Questions and Answers on Every-day Subjects, Adapted for Young Persons, and Arranged in the Most Simple and Easy Language.
Encyclopedias for children in varying subjects were in vogue in the early 19th century. The Oxford Companion to Children"s Literature (1984) indicates that The Child"s Guide to Knowledge.. by a Lady was modeled on William Pinnock"s Catechisms and Richmal Mangnall"s Miscellaneous Questions for the Use of Young People.
Umphelby utilized the techniques of the Elucidarium, a 12th century encyclopedia that presented information as a Socratic dialogue between a teacher and his disciple, but varied the formula to have the pupil present the information instead of the teacher. The book caused a resurgence of popularity around books based on dialogue.
Umphelby also authored A Guide to Jewish History.
