Githa Sowerby

-
Githa Sowerby's first full-length play, Rutherford and Son, was received in 1912 as a work of major importance. After this initial success, however, she produced only a handful of plays, only one more of which reached print. Her plays deftly exploit realist techniques to address social and economic problems, often from a feminist perspective. She began her writing career with a number of books for children (illustrated by her sister Millicent) , as well as some plays for young audiences. She also supplied the lyrics for a few songs composed by F. Paolo Tosti .
Photograph of a round blue plaque dedicated to Githa Sowerby by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, set in a grey stone wall. The council's name appears at the top, followed by: Katherine Githa Sowerby (1876-1970). Playwright, poet, children's author and member of the noted Sowerby glass family. In her early years she lived near here at Ravenshill." At the bottom the plaque is dated 2009.

Milestones

6 October 1876

Katherine Githa Sowerby was born at Gateshead, just south of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Gateshead, confusingly, is sometimes listed as part of Northumberland and sometimes as County Durham.
Riley, Patricia. Looking for Githa. New Writing North.
131, 27
Stowell, Sheila. A Stage of Their Own. University of Michigan Press.
129

By 19 October 1906

GS published through J. M. Dent her first book of verse for children, The Wise Book, with illustrations by her sister Millicent Sowerby .
British Library Catalogue. http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?dscnt=0&tab=local_tab&dstmp=1489778087340&vid=BLVU1&mode=Basic&fromLo.
OCLC WorldCat. http://www.oclc.org/firstsearch/content/worldcat/. Accessed 1999.
TLS Centenary Archive Centenary Archive [1902-2012]. http://www.gale.com/c/the-times-literary-supplement-historical-archive.
249 (19 October 1906): 355

31 January 1912

GS 's realist drama Rutherford and Son was first produced at the Court Theatre in London, where it had four matinée performances.
Stowell, Sheila. A Stage of Their Own. University of Michigan Press.
166, 130

18 March 1912

Rutherford and Son by GS re-opened at London's Little Theatre . It became a critical success, and moved on to the Vaudeville , bringing its total run to 133 performances.
Stowell, Sheila. A Stage of Their Own. University of Michigan Press.
166, 130

About 1937-8

GS wrote her last play, entitled Direct Action. It has not been (in 2010) staged or published. Her biographer, Patricia Riley , discovered the manuscript in a hatbox of memorabilia at the apartment of Sowerby's daughter .
Riley, Patricia. Looking for Githa. New Writing North.
83, 85

30 June 1970

GS died in London at the age of ninety-three, having outlived all her siblings. There were no obituaries.
Riley, Patricia. Looking for Githa. New Writing North.
131, 91
OCLC WorldCat. http://www.oclc.org/firstsearch/content/worldcat/. Accessed 1999.

Biography

Birth and Family

6 October 1876

Katherine Githa Sowerby was born at Gateshead, just south of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Gateshead, confusingly, is sometimes listed as part of Northumberland and sometimes as County Durham.
Riley, Patricia. Looking for Githa. New Writing North.
131, 27
Stowell, Sheila. A Stage of Their Own. University of Michigan Press.
129

Please click on login button to check your access and/or enter your credentials. Alternatively if you don’t have access, please click on “Subscribe”.

Log inSubscribe