She Sells Sea Shells..

She sells sea shells

She sells sea shells by the sea shore.
The shells she sells are surely seashells.
So if she sells shells on the seashore,
I’m sure she sells seashore shells.

This childhood tongue twister, part of a poem written in 1908 by Terry Sullivan, is widely acknowledged to be inspired by Mary Anning.

Mary Anning (1799 – 1847) was a British fossil collector, dealer and palaeontologist. She became became famous for her many important finds in the fossil beds at Lyme Regis.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Mary Anning can visit the Lyme Regis Museum.

The novel Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier tells the story Mary Anning’s life and friendships.