Sophia Mort

Sophia Mort (4 September 1807 – 13 September 1882) was a 19th-century British children's author who wrote both a textbook for girls' schools and a Christian short story. Additionally, she served as the principal of a ladies' school for young girls that she ran out of various locations throughout her life.

Family Sophia Mort was the daughter of James and Dorothy Mort. After hearing John Wesley preach at Sunderland when he was seventeen years old, he went from being essentially nonreligious to a convert to the Methodist New Connexion. During his time as a minister (1807–1827), he was appointed to Circuits in the following areas: Sheffield (multiple times), Chester, Longton, Bolton, Thorne, Hull, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leeds, Hanley, Huddersfield (multiple times), Manchester (multiple times), and Liverpool (where he later died). William Allbut was an editor and publisher of Pottery Mercury (or the North Staffordshire Mercury), a newspaper detailing the pottery industry in the Staffordshire area They had seven children: William Sidney Allbut (born c. 1838), Elizabeth Ann Allbut (born c. 1840), Thomas Henry Allbut (born 16 August 1842), Sophia Jane Allbut (born c. 1845), Mary Dorothea Allbut (born c. 1848), Helen Maria Allbut (born c. 1852), and James Allbut (born c. 1841). It is possible that James Allbut died in his youth, because his name only appears in the 1841 England Census, when he was merely months old.

Biography

Childhood

Sophia Mort was born in Nottingham, England on 4 September 1807. During their time in Northwood, Sophia and Elizabeth Mort ran a boarding and day school for young ladies, teaching them English education, needlework, and other skills. The Youth's Magazine was a publication containing religious-themed short stories released on a monthly basis. When writing various copies of this book, she authors it under the names Mrs. Allbut or Mrs. Wm. Allbut (her husband's name), never referring to herself as Sophia.

Later life By 1861 Sophia and her family had moved to Chester Road in Lower Bebington where Sophia was still the principal of a ladies' school On 17 November 1882 Sophia's personal estate (totaling £1,690 13s. 4d.) was granted to Elizabeth Ann Allbut (her eldest daughter).

Literary works

"Look to the End." (1849) - The Youth's Magazine Much in Little: A Compendium of Facts & Information (1859)