26 Facts About Sophia Morrison

Sophia Morrison was a Manx cultural activist, folklore collector and author.

Sophia Morrison is best remembered today for writing Manx Fairy Tales, published in 1911, although her greatest influence was as an activist for the revitalisation of Manx culture, particularly through her work with the Manx Language Society and its journal, Mannin, which she edited from 1913 until her death.

Sophia Morrison was born in Peel, Isle of Man, as the third of nine children to Charles Morrison and his wife Louisa.

Sophia Morrison's father was a well-respected merchant who owned a fleet of fishing boats and was responsible for the building of Athol Street in Peel.

The 1881 census recorded Sophia Morrison as living at 7 Athol Street, but it is possible that she lived at the other family houses on the street during her life, including numbers 11 and 15.

In receiving honours from Trinity College of Music, Sophia Morrison was the first person on the island to pass a music college examination.

Little is known of the rest of her education other than that at the age of eleven Sophia Morrison was lodging in Ballig, near Onchan, for the purposes of her education.

Sophia Morrison developed an interest in languages, becoming fluent in Manx and French, and gaining a strong knowledge of Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Italian and Spanish.

Sophia Morrison travelled widely, including to France, Brittany, the Basque region and the USA.

Sophia Morrison devoted her life to the preservation of Manx culture in all of its forms, which she recognized to be under threat at that time.

Sophia Morrison was consulted by the leading folklorists of the day, even being mentioned by Walter Evans-Wentz as of equal standing to the likes of John Rhys, Douglas Hyde, Alexander Carmichael, Henry Jenner and Anatole Le Braz.

Unlike other works in this area at that time, Sophia Morrison's book managed to gain wide appreciation from both scholars and the public.

At a time when the Manx language was going into a steep decline, Sophia Morrison began to take special interest in learning and preserving the language.

Sophia Morrison was keen to preserve the Anglo-Manx dialect, which she saw as in danger due to the continued rise of English.

Sophia Morrison supported the dialect through the encouragement of contemporary literature written in dialect for Mannin and on the stage through The Peel Players.

Sophia Morrison's death interrupted work she was carrying out in writing an Anglo-Manx dictionary.

Sophia Morrison was responsible for Mannin: Journal of Matters Past and Present relating to Mann, the journal of Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh, produced twice a year for nine editions between 1913 and 1917.

Sophia Morrison acted as the originating force, the editor and the funder of the journal, as it was she who was responsible for the cost of production.

Where there was something to be done for the preservation, advancement and promotion of Manx culture, Sophia Morrison would take it upon herself to fulfill the necessary role.

Sophia Morrison produced a calendar of T E Brown quotations with Alice Mallt Williams, masterminding the T E Brown day in the island's schools, a Manx Cookery Book written with her sister, Louisa, which proved to be very popular and a monograph on the subject of Manx folk dress, compiled in conjunction with Miss A Corrin.

Sophia Morrison was involved in the collection and recording of folk music, although little of her fieldwork in this area survives.

Sophia Morrison was instrumental in setting up Manx singing classes across the island.

Sophia Morrison was central to the idea of the Isle of Man as a Celtic nation, culturally tied to Ireland, Scotland and Wales more closely than England.

Sophia Morrison died on 14 January 1917, in Peel, from cancer of the intestine.

Sophia Morrison was buried in the family grave in Peel Cemetery.

Sophia Morrison's coffin was carried from her home in Atholl Street to the hearse and then to the graveside by members of the Peel Players; JJ Joughin, Christopher R Shimmin, Caesar Cashin, and Charles Henry Cowley.