Pickthall, Marjorie Lowry Christie

Person

Pickthall, Marjorie Lowry Christie

1883-1922

Marjorie Lowry Christie Pickthall (1883–1922) was a librarian, a writer and a poet. She was born in Gunnersby, Middlesex, England, the daughter of Arthur C. Pickthall and Helen Mallard. She died in Vancouver, British Columbia, following an operation.
Pickthall moved with her family to Southwater, Sussex, then to Toronto, Ontario in 1889. She was educated at St. Mildred’s College and Bishop Strachan School. She sold her first story, Two-ears to the Toronto Globe while still a student at Bishop Strachan School. She was employed as an assistant librarian at Victoria College Library, Toronto, from 1910 to 1912. She contributed to several periodicals.
Pickthall moved to England in 1912 and lived near Salisbury until 1919. She participated in World War I as an ambulance driver, a farm labourer and a library clerk. She wrote many short stories and poems during this period. After the war she returned to Toronto, then moved to Vancouver, where she continued to write.
Pickthall published over 200 short stories and approximately 100 poems along with numerous articles in journals such as Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, and Scribner’s. She also contributed to young people’s magazines. Her publications include: Poetry: The Drift of Pinions (1913), Lamp of Poor Souls and other Poems (1916), The Woodcarver’s Wife and other Poems (1922), Little Songs (1925), and Complete Poems (1927); Short stories: Angels’ Shoes and other Stories (1923); Novels: Little Hearts (1916), and The Bridge (1922).

Draft

• English