“Monument to Our Matrons,” short fiction inspired by the Stainforth library’s auction in 1867

By Michael W. Harris, published in Plumbago issue 5 (Jan. 2019) I settle into my chair at the esteemed auction house of Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge to witness the selling off, piecemeal, of the careful and thoughtful accumulation of the better part of my life. No novice to London collecting circles, I had previously cultivated passions for both … Continue reading “Monument to Our Matrons,” short fiction inspired by the Stainforth library’s auction in 1867

Adah Isaacs Menken

How serendipitous that on a day where I mulled over how Stainforth identified American women writers, by day’s end I should learn of someone new, thanks to Reverend Stainforth.  Adah Isaacs Menken, an American actress and poet (1835-1868), was known to this British book collector, evidence of which is in his catalog. She identified one … Continue reading Adah Isaacs Menken

Another woman of color

I spoke too soon and take back my earlier snarky and wistful comments. Our man Stainforth had in his collection a piece written by Adah Isaacs Menken who was a nineteenth-century actress, artist and poet. I am not familiar with her story and will research this further, but her VIAF record identifies her as an … Continue reading Another woman of color

Identify and Identity

In continuing name-authority research for Stainforth writers who do not have VIAF records, I ponder how Reverend Stainforth identified American women writers to include in his private library.  No doubt the book dealers with whom he worked recommended new authors and titles on a regular basis, yet he had his favorite reference tools which evince … Continue reading Identify and Identity

Ann Yearsley’s Library Catalog

My co-editor, Debbie Hollis, recently shared with me Ann Yearsley’s library catalog, which one can access through Gale/ECCO. Go to Ann Yearsley’s Library Catalog My current institution doesn’t subscribe to ECCO, and I took this incredible (and expensive) database for granted at both CU-Boulder, where I did my PhD, and at Dartmouth College, where I … Continue reading Ann Yearsley’s Library Catalog

A Negress in Stainforth’s Catalogue

My research partner, Dr. Kirstyn Leuner, understands that my initial interest in the Stainforth Library of Women’s Writing DH project was to recover the works of long forgotten women. Shortly after launching ourselves on this path, a narrower interest grew and I wanted to identify women of color in this 19th-century book collector’s holdings. Imagine … Continue reading A Negress in Stainforth’s Catalogue

Alice Flowerdew, Robert Bloomfield, and VIAF #Fail

It is stunning to me that Alice Flowerdew does not have a record in VIAF.org, the Virtual International Authority File. I started searching for Flowerdew while spot-checking our person authority records completed by new student editors (they’re amazing!) at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Flowerdew (A)” appears on page 161 of the catalog and has … Continue reading Alice Flowerdew, Robert Bloomfield, and VIAF #Fail

Miss Edgworth Temple or James Templeman?

Our newest Stainforth researcher, Faith, sent me a Slack message saying that she found a case of a male author in the Stainforth catalog publishing under the name of a woman. This would be James Templeman publishing as Miss Edgworth Temple, author of The Mysterious Shriek, or, Alexander and Lavinia: a metrical tale. Also, the ancient … Continue reading Miss Edgworth Temple or James Templeman?

“I will proclaim my sorrows to the world, / And force thee to an act of justice.” Emma Roberts, Oriental Scenes (Calcutta, 1830)

Restore me to my rights; Cast off they paramour; I am not now The pliant girl, whose easy, yielding heart You moulded to your will. The slave of man, Too long consigned to tyranny and wrong, I know the value of the power I hold; And, taught a better lesson, will return The evil I … Continue reading “I will proclaim my sorrows to the world, / And force thee to an act of justice.” Emma Roberts, Oriental Scenes (Calcutta, 1830)