14 Facts About Ethel Rudkin

Ethel Rudkin was an English writer, historian, archaeologist and folklorist from Lincolnshire.

Ethel Rudkin pioneered the collection of folk material, particularly from Lincolnshire, and her collections are now part of several public institutions, including the North Lincolnshire Museum.

Ethel Rudkin's parents were Richard and Ethel Hutchinson; her mother's family were originally from Suffolk.

In later life, Lucy Arliss moved in with Ethel Rudkin, assisted her on archaeological digs and they lived together for the rest of Arliss' life.

Ethel Rudkin was interested in the traditions and folklore of Lincolnshire and began to collect stories and objects that reflected those interests, against the wishes of her parents.

In 1936, Ethel Rudkin published her book Lincolnshire Folklore, with an introduction by Murray.

Ethel Rudkin began excavating at Eresby manor during this time, as well as the brickworks at East Keal.

Ethel Rudkin made a study of pottery and pottery kilns from Toynton All Saints and Bolingbroke.

In 1938, Ethel Rudkin published what became a seminal paper on the mythology of the Black Dog in Lincolnshire and is one of the most complete for any region of England, including songs, sightings and folktales.

One interesting aspect for folklorists today is that Ethel Rudkin did not just record malevolent appearances of the dog, but times when people reported that the dog was protecting them from other apparitions.

Ethel Rudkin claimed that the phenomenon was viewed in a more positive light in Lincolnshire than in other counties.

Ethel Rudkin recorded instances of 'black dogs' named and known by local communities.

Ethel Rudkin's research is referred to in a wide variety of research papers, including: on the Green Man; landscape history as cultural practice; and portents of death.

Many of the large objects collected by Ethel Rudkin are at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life, which began to be acquired in 1966 by curator Brian Loughborough.