(1881-1927)
Shrewsbury Library
Author and poet, Mary wrote 6 novels as well as poems, short stories and nature essays. Growing up and spending most of her time around Shropshire she gained inspiration from her countryside surroundings with her work centring around her home county. The Mary Webb Society states, ‘She developed an extraordinary perception for minute detail in nature and this is reflected in the richness of her poetry and prose.’
As most things happen around late 19th/early 20th century; things weren’t always easy. She developed Graves’ Disease (a thyroid disorder) at the age of 20, which was to cause her ill health for much of her life and lead to her premature death. She became very self-conscious due to the disfiguring features of the disease and began to retreat into her own solitary world, taking solace in writing.
Her first book was published in 1916, The Golden Arrow, but her most famous work is Precious Bane (1924). Her health deteriorated soon after this, leaving a novel unfinished when she died aged 46.
The back of Mary’s bust reveals a pile of her books and is situated outside Shrewsbury Library. Nice touch.
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