What Regency Women Did for Us

Rachel Knowles

• Publisher: Pen & Sword History
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781473882263
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

Profiles of twelve trailblazing Regency Era women—from Jane Austen to Madame Tussaud—who took charge of their destinies and changed the world. In the nineteenth century, women faced challenges and constraints that many of us would find shocking by today's standards. What Regency Women Did for Us tells the inspirational stories of twelve women who overcame entrenched institutional obstacles to achieve trailblazing success—women such as the German astronomer Caroline Herschel, who discovered a comet that bears her name; the French artist Marie Tussaud whose wax sculptures made her world famous; the great author Jane Austen whose novels continue to delight generations of readers. These women were pioneers, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, authors, scientists, and actresses—women who made an impact on their world and ours. Popular history blogger Rachel Knowles tells how each of these women challenged the limitations of their time and left an enduring legacy for future generations to follow. Two hundred years later, their stories remain powerful inspirations for us all. "Rachel's fine book looks at how the women of Britain emerged from the shadows of their husbands during the Regency period, inspiring female writers, scientists, etc. to take hold of their own destinies and start to have an influence on the world. Brilliant." — Books Monthly

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 The King’s Stone Maker – Eleanor Coade (1733-1821)
• Chapter 2 The Accidental Astronomer – Caroline Herschel (1750-1848)
• Chapter 3 The Upright Actress – Sarah Siddons (1755-1831)
• Chapter 4 Entrepreneur Extraordinaire – Marie Tussaud (1761-1850)
• Chapter 5 The Benevolent Mountaineer – Mary Parminter (1767-1849)
• Chapter 6 Mother of Historical Fiction – Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849)
• Chapter 7 Faraday’s Teacher – Jane Marcet (1769-1858)
• Chapter 8 Engineering Enthusiast – Sarah Guppy (1770-1852)
• Chapter 9 Mr Darcy’s Maker – Jane Austen (1775-1817)
• Chapter 10 Rags to Regency Riches – Harriot Mellon (1777-1837)
• Chapter 11 The Angel of the Prisons – Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845)
• Chapter 12 The Regency Fossilist – Mary Anning (1799-1847)
• Notes
• List of Illustrations
• Select Bibliography
• Plate section