Women of the local elite in Lancashire, 1750-c.1825
Eighteenth-century women have been presented as the heroines of traditional biographies and as the faceless victims of vast historical processes, only recently have they been actually researched. Essentially, this study reconstructs the material lives and discursive world of three groups of Lancashire women, using personal and administrative records. Four themes structure the account: the profile of the local elite, the roles available to women in genteel families, the extent of social transition,1750-1825, and the applicability of the conceptual vocabulary of 'separate spheres'. Along the way, women's manuscripts illuminate historical debates: on love and marriage, on mothering, on the household and servants, on consumerism, on polite culture, and on social structure and relations. Lesser gentry, professional and commercial families in north-east Lancashire constituted a coherent group at the apex of local society. While gentlemen pursued county, professional, commercial and estate business, genteel ladies had to content themselves with matrimony, motherhood, housekeeping, consumption, hostessing and print. Elite women were constrained by their duties, yet many were able to draw status and esteem from the
Vickery, Amanda Jane
History
Women of the local elite in Lancashire, 1750-c.1825. Eighteenth-century women have been presented as the heroines of traditional biographies and as the faceless victims of vast historical processes, only recently have they been actually researched. Essentially, this study reconstructs the material lives and discursive world of three groups of Lancashire women, using personal and administrative records. Four themes structure the account: the profile of the local elite, the roles available to women in genteel families, the extent of social transition,1750-1825, and the applicability of the conceptual vocabulary of 'separate spheres'. Along the way, women's manuscripts illuminate historical debates: on love and marriage, on mothering, on the household and servants, on consumerism, on polite culture, and on social structure and relations. Lesser gentry, professional and commercial families in north-east Lancashire constituted a coherent group at the apex of local society. While gentlemen pursued county, professional, commercial and estate business, genteel ladies had to content themselves with matrimony, motherhood, housekeeping, consumption, hostessing and print. Elite women were constrained by their duties, yet many were able to draw status and esteem from the
women local_elite lancashire eighteenth_century woman present heroine traditional biography victim vast historical_process recently actually research essentially study reconstructs material life discursive world three_group lancashire woman use personal administrative_record four_theme structure account profile local_elite roles available woman family extent social transition applicability conceptual vocabulary separate sphere along_way woman manuscripts illuminate historical_debate love marriage household servant consumerism polite culture social_structure relation lesser gentry professional commercial family north_east lancashire constitute coherent group local_society gentleman pursue county professional commercial estate business lady content motherhood consumption host print elite woman constrain duty yet_many able draw status