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Other People's Daughters

The Life And Times Of The Governess

Ruth Brandon

A rich and fascinating account of the lives of Victorian governesses, exploring nineteenth-century attitudes to women, family and class.

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Reviews

  

If a nineteenth century lady had neither a husband to support her nor money of her own, almost her only recourse was to live in someone else's household and educate their children - in particular, their daughters.

Marooned within the confines of other people's lives, neither servants nor family members, governesses occupied an uncomfortable social limbo. And being poor and insignificant, their papers were mostly lost. But a few journals and letters have come down to us, giving a vivid record of what it was to be a lone professional woman at a time when such a creature officially did not exist.

 

'Other People's Daughters uncovers some fascinating accounts of women compelled to support themselves in a society which viewed their activities with suspicion... compelling'

TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

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Other People's Daughters-The Life And Times Of The Governess

Buy Other People's Daughters from Amazon
£8.99
Paperback
320 pages
198 x 129 mm
ISBN-10:
ISBN-13: 9780753825761
Publication: March 2009
'other people's daughters' is also available in hardback format
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