Charlotte Elliot was born in Brighton, the third daughter of a silk merchant. The family moved to London and as a young woman she was a portrait artist and a writer of humorous verse. After suffering ill-health in her thirties, she became increasingly devout and in the 1830s took on the editorial supervision of several Christian books. She edited the annual The Christian Remembrancer Pocket Book for 25 years and many of her poems appeared in it. She edited the Invalid’s Hymn Book, to which she contributed 115 hymns and contributed several psalms and hymns to other publications. In 1849 Elliott returned to Brighton where, although in frail health, she continued to write. She published about 150 hymns and poems, some anonymously, many of which are still popular in evangelical circles. A blue plaque commemorating Charlotte Elliott is at St Mary’s Hall, Eastern Road, Brighton.
