Elizabeth Somerville

Elizabeth Somerville (née Helme; 1774–1840) was a Scottish novelist who wrote primarily for children. She was also a school mistress. Life Elizabeth Helme was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, one of the five children of Elizabeth and William Helme. Her mother, Elizabeth, was a school teacher and translator, and her father was a schoolmaster. Despite these employments, the family frequently struggled financially. In her later life, Somerville moved to Lancashire and lived in District Nine of that county.