Born: 8 June 1864, United Kingdom
Died: 24 August 1901
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Mary Violet McNeill
This biography is republished from The Dictionary of Irish Biography and was written by Frances Clarke. Shared by permission in line with Creative Commons ‘Attribution’ (CC BY) licencing.
Hobhouse, Mary Violet (née McNeill ) (1864–1901), novelist and poet, was born 8 June 1864 in London, the second daughter of Edmund McNeill, land agent and deputy lord lieutenant of Co. Antrim, and Mary (Miller) McNeill of Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. In 1866 the McNeills moved from their home in Ballycastle to Craigdunn, a newly built mansion near Ballymena, Co. Antrim. Mary began writing as a young woman, immersing herself in Irish folklore, language, and tradition to produce patriotic lyrics as well as translations from Irish. She was a staunch unionist, and spoke on platforms in England against home rule during the election campaigns of 1887 and 1888.
In July 1887 Mary married Walter Hobhouse (1862–1928), a student (fellow) at Christ Church, Oxford, who was later ordained and held various appointments, including headmaster of Durham School, archdeacon of Aston, and canon residentiary of Gloucester. They had two sons, one of whom died in early childhood, and a daughter. Hobhouse continued to write after her marriage, publishing two novels: An unknown quantity (1898), set in London, and Warp and weft (1899), a story set amid the largely presbyterian linen-weaving communities of Ulster. Though settled for many years in England, she made regular summer visits to her family home in Antrim. After contracting tuberculosis she died 24 August 1901, at her home, 82 Onslow Gardens, London. A volume of her devotional poetry entitled Speculum animae, edited by her husband, was published posthumously for private circulation among her friends.