# Martha Sowerby — The Secret Garden character guide > Martha Sowerby in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Yorkshire Martha, Presently Martha, Martha Phœbe Sowerby, agitated Martha, IV Martha **First appearance:** 0003-iv-martha ## Snapshot A cheerful, untrained Yorkshire maid who chatters at Mary about her twelve siblings, the moor, and a brother named Dickon who charms animals. ## Who they are Martha Sowerby is no fine lady's maid; she was raised in a moorland cottage where children wait on themselves and each other, and she talks to Mary as an equal whether Mary likes it or not. Her outspokenness about hunger, porridge, and the twelve Sowerby children cracks Mary's indifference, and her stories of Dickon plant the first real interest Mary has ever felt in another person. It is Martha who mentions the locked garden and the robin, and so sets the whole story moving. ## Relationships ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _friendship_ Martha is Mary's first kind acquaintance at Misselthwaite, introducing her to Dickon and the moor. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _friendship_ Martha cheerfully serves Colin and helps bridge his isolation with stories of her family and the moor. ### [Dickon Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/dickon_sowerby) _family_ Dickon and Martha are loving siblings who share a close bond and support each other's work at the manor. ### [Mrs. Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_sowerby) _family_ Martha is the devoted daughter of Mrs. Sowerby, who raises her large family with love and practicality. ### [Mrs. Medlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_medlock) _professional_ Martha works as a maid under Mrs. Medlock's supervision, with a respectful but slightly wary dynamic. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _friendship_ Martha is Mary's first kind acquaintance at Misselthwaite, introducing her to Dickon and the moor. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _friendship_ Martha cheerfully serves Colin and helps bridge his isolation with stories of her family and the moor. ### [Mrs. Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_sowerby) _family_ Martha is the devoted daughter of Mrs. Sowerby, who raises her large family with love and practicality. ### [Mrs. Medlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mrs_medlock) _professional_ Martha works as a maid under Mrs. Medlock's supervision, with a respectful but slightly wary dynamic. ### [Dickon Sowerby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/dickon_sowerby) _family_ Dickon and Martha are loving siblings who share a close bond and support each other's work at the manor. ### [Mary Lennox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/mary_lennox) _friendship_ Martha is Mary's first kind acquaintance at Misselthwaite, introducing her to Dickon and the moor. ### [Colin Craven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/colin_craven) _friendship_ Martha cheerfully serves Colin and helps bridge his isolation with stories of her family and the moor. ## In the story ### [Martha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/iv-martha) Martha is the cheerful, outspoken Yorkshire housemaid who waits on Mary. She talks freely about her family, the moor, and her brother Dickon, and encourages Mary to become more independent. ### [The Cry in the Corridor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/v-the-cry-in-the-corridor) Shares the story of Mrs. Craven's death and the locked garden, and tries to explain away the crying Mary hears. ### [VI: “There Was Some One Crying—There Was!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/vi-there-was-some-one-crying-there-was) Tells Mary about her family and Dickon, and suggests Mary read books from the library. ### [VII: The Key of the Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/vii-the-key-of-the-garden) Martha describes the springtime moor, talks about her mother, and leaves for her day off, walking five miles across the moor to her cottage. ### [The Robin Who Showed the Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/viii-the-robin-who-showed-the-way) Returns from her day off, shares stories of her family, and gives Mary a skipping rope from her mother. ### [IX: The Strangest House Anyone Ever Lived In](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/ix-the-strangest-house-anyone-ever-lived-in) Helps Mary by suggesting she write to Dickon for garden tools and seeds, and shares her mother's wisdom about children and gardening. ### [The Nest of the Missel Thrush](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xi-the-nest-of-the-missel-thrush) Mentioned as having told Dickon about the secret garden and as one of the five people Mary likes. ### [XII: “Might I Have a Bit of Earth?”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xii-might-i-have-a-bit-of-earth) Martha talks with Mary about Dickon, advises her to ask Ben Weatherstaff about a garden spot, and informs her that Mr. Craven has returned and wants to see her. ### [I Am Colin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xiii-i-am-colin) Martha appears briefly when Mary shows her Dickon's drawing of a missel thrush, and she proudly identifies it. ### [A Young Rajah](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xiv-a-young-rajah) Martha is frightened that Mary's discovery of Colin will get her in trouble, but Colin reassures her of his protection. ### [Nest Building](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xv-nest-building) Martha comments on Mary's improved appearance and health. ### [XVI: “I Won’t!” Said Mary](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xvi-i-won-t-said-mary) Martha is anxious about Colin's reaction to Mary's absence and later shows curiosity about the gift box from Mr. Craven. ### [XVII: A Tantrum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xvii-a-tantrum) Mentioned as slipping away with Mrs. Medlock after Colin's tantrum subsides. ### [Tha' Munnot Waste No Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/chapters/xviii-tha-munnot-waste-no-time) Brings Mary breakfast and relays Colin's request for Mary to visit him. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters/martha_sowerby - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_garden_se/characters