Who is Mrs. Medlock in The Secret Garden?

She is the housekeeper at Misselthwaite Manor. She brings Mary from London to Yorkshire and then manages the household.

Did Mrs. Medlock know about Colin?

Yes. She knows that Colin lives in a secret room of the manor and helps to keep him hidden. She does not tell Mary about him at first.

How is Mrs. Medlock connected to the Sowerby family?

Mrs. Medlock went to school with Susan Sowerby, the mother of Martha and Dickon. She says she trusts Susan’s advice about children.

From The Secret Garden

Mrs. Medlock

Misselthwaite housekeeper • Strict and bustling

The strict housekeeper of Misselthwaite Manor, who likes quiet rules and order.

Who is Mrs. Medlock?

Mrs. Medlock is the strict head housekeeper at Misselthwaite Manor. She wears a rustling black dress, carries a ring of heavy brass keys and likes rules and total quiet. She tells Mary to stay in her rooms and never wander, and she is shocked to find Mary visiting Colin. Still, she does her job carefully and helps bundle Colin up for his first trip outside.

Mrs. Medlock is a character in The Secret Garden, the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.

What is Mrs. Medlock like?

Strict
Busy
Dutiful

Mrs. Medlock’s story

Mrs. Medlock is the housekeeper of Misselthwaite Manor. She is the one who meets Mary in London and brings her north on the long train ride, and she is plainly not charmed by this sour little girl, and she says so to others on the way. On the way she tells Mary what to expect: a huge house, a closed-up wing and an uncle who will pay her no attention.

At the manor, she sets down rules and expects everyone to follow them. When Mary wanders along the corridors or hears crying in the night, Mrs. Medlock tells her it is only the wind.

Mrs. Medlock, who likes order above all, grows fond of Susan Sowerby, who is an old school friend, and she comes to agree that Mary needs the company of other children. By the end she is as astonished as everybody else to see Colin walking, running and well,.

“I’d always take Susan Sowerby’s advice about children myself.”

Mrs. Medlock, to Mr. Craven, about Mary’s outdoor play. From the original 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

A moment to remember

When Colin walks into the manor beside his father, healthy and strong, Mrs. Medlock is so surprised that she drops her ring of keys.

Mary Lennox: the girl she brings to the manor
Archibald Craven: her master
Susan Sowerby: her old school friend
Martha Sowerby: the maid she supervises

Talk about it

Mrs. Medlock loves rules and quiet. Which rules at your house help everyone, and why do you think they matter?

Questions about Mrs. Medlock

Who is Mrs. Medlock in The Secret Garden?: She is the housekeeper at Misselthwaite Manor. She brings Mary from London to Yorkshire and then manages the household.
Did Mrs. Medlock know about Colin?: Yes. She knows that Colin lives in a secret room of the manor and helps to keep him hidden. She does not tell Mary about him at first.
How is Mrs. Medlock connected to the Sowerby family?: Mrs. Medlock went to school with Susan Sowerby, the mother of Martha and Dickon. She says she trusts Susan’s advice about children.