British Goblins - Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions. Sikes Wirt

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      Wirt Sikes

      William Wirt Sikes was born in Watertown, New York, America on 23rd November 1836. He was a newspaperman and novelist, who wrote under multiple pen names. The son of Dr. William Johnson Sikes and his wife Meroe Redfield, he attended several local schools, but, being an invalid, was largely educated at home. Sikes learned typesetting at a local newspaper in New York, and from then on, was engaged in journalism or literary work for the rest of his life.

      At the age of nineteen, Sikes married Jeanette Wilcox. The marriage was a happy one at first, and the couple had one son and a daughter. Sikes career also took off around this time. In 1856 he worked on the Utica Morning Herald, both as a typesetter and contributor, and in 1858 some of his tales and poems were collected in a work titled; A Book for the Winter Evening Fireside. In 1861 he was made State Canal Inspector of Illinois, but two years later returned to newspaper work on the Chicago Evening Journal.

      By 1865, Sikes had moved back to New York where he contributed to more high profile magazines, such as Oliver Optic’s Magazine, the New York Sun and Harpers New Monthly Magazine. In 1868 he moved to Nyack (a village in-between Orangetown and Clarkstown, in Rockland County, New York) and became part owner and editor of the Nyack City and Country and the Rockland County Journal. During this time, Sikes also wrote for other periodicals, maintaining an exceptionally busy professional life. This may have contributed to the eventual break down of his marriage and in 1870, he divorced Jeanette Wilcox. Moving on remarkably quickly, by 19th December 1871, Sikes married Olive Logan – this time enjoying a more stable matrimonial life.

      He continued writing and editing for some time, but in 1876 was appointed US Consul at Cardiff, Wales. Here, Sikes published many works on the archaeology and history of the region – a place that fascinated him greatly. Among the most famous of his works whilst in the UK, were British Goblins which detailed Welsh Folk Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions and The Spirit World of Wales which included sections on ghosts, spectral animals, household fairies, the devil in Wales and angelic spirits. Sikes died in Cardiff on 18th August 1883, aged forty-six.

      British Goblins:

      WELSH FOLK-LORE, FAIRY MYTHOLOGY,

      LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS.

      BY

      WIRT SIKES,

      UNITED STATES CONSUL FOR WALES.

      WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY T. H. THOMAS.

      In olde dayes of the Kyng Arthour ...

      Al was this lond fulfilled of fayrie.

      Chaucer.