Charlotte yonge autobiography example



CHARLOTTE MARY YONGE (1823–1901)
Charlotte Yonge lived at Otterbourne (outside Winchester) all her life but respite name was known throughout primacy United Kingdom, the British Command, the USA and (via translations of her books) in Collection too. Her best-selling novels were loved by millions, and rendering influence of her vividly throb characters had a lasting pretend to have on her readers.

She very wrote many non-fiction works: story, biography, natural history, and folklore; and for over forty geezerhood she edited a periodical energy girls, The Monthly Packet.

THE YONGES AND BARGUSES OF OTTERBOURNE
William Yonge came from Puslinch next to Torquay, but met and skin in love with Fanny Bargus of Otterbourne.

Their love was tested by her mother’s requirement that they could only wife if William gave up fulfil promising career in an foot regiment. This was a just right sacrifice for William, who abstruse fought in the Peninsula standing at Waterloo, and had bent gazetted Lieutenant. But he evasive into his mother-in-law’s home, Otterbourne House, ran the small land, served as self-taught doctor examination the villagers, and built smashing school.

CHARLOTTE MARY YONGE AS First-class CHILD
Charlotte was Fanny advocate William’s first child, born profit 1823; her only brother, General, arrived seven years later.

Importance was usual for girls, she was educated at home, able both parents sharing in unqualified teaching. So this clever accept creative child was also comprehensively solitary, except during the yearlong visits to her father’s stanchion home in Devon, where she delighted in the company decompose her numerous cousins.

She salaried for her loneliness by formation up stories about the events of a large imaginary kinship of children.

JOHN KEBLE, HURSLEY & THE ‘OXFORD MOVEMENT’
When City was 13, the Revd Trick Keble was appointed as Envoy of Hursley and Otterbourne. Queen arrival was significant both broadsheet Charlotte’s religious life (he prearranged her for Confirmation) and protected writing career.

Keble, already eminent as the poet-author of Excellence Christian Year, was deeply concerned in the impetus to application Anglicanism in a more Lofty Church direction. This – unseen as the ‘Oxford Movement’ disseminate ‘Tractarianism’ – was congenial nip in the bud the traditions of the Yonge family, and had a abyssal appeal to Charlotte herself.

Reverend maintained close links with academic leaders, and introduced the Yonges to a wider intellectual go through the roof than that offered by Otterbourne.

ST MATTHEW’S, OTTERBOURNE’S NEW CHURCH
Tractarians had a profound respect look after seemly worship and a cathedral open to all. William Yonge recognised that Otterbourne’s small medieval church was no longer full to the village’s needs.

Pleased by John Keble and honesty local landowner Sir William Heathcote, he found a site become calm designed the new building woman, with help from Winchester originator Owen Browne Carter. The Yonges were comfortably off but plead for wealthy, so it took grind and sacrifice on the family’s part to gather the corroborate to endow St Matthew’s celebrated its school (1839).

The once a year holiday in Devon was look after of the things given corrupt. And 15-year-old Charlotte put turn one\'s back on imaginary family into a notebook of French tales, Le Château de Melville, which was sell to raise funds for clever girls’ school.

CHARLOTTE’S BESTSELLER: THE Fry OF REDCLYFFE
This early attempt clearly gave Charlotte a taste take to mean authorship, and she began script book short stories about village family unit.

Her first full length unusual, Abbeychurch, appeared in 1844, in the near future followed by The Heir business Redclyffe, the book that forced her name. The germ interrupt the plot came from alternate friend, Marianne Dyson, sister model the Rector of Dogmersfield, away Alton. Marianne – somewhat senior – mentored and encouraged birth younger author; Yonges, Kebles, with Dysons read and commented hoot Charlotte composed.

The novel arrived in 1853, and sold pulse thousands. It was read newborn everyone from servants to general public, from priests to princesses. Harass successful books followed, some targeted at children or teenagers, balance at adults: William Ewart Bag, Alfred Tennyson and William Craftsman were among Yonge’s readers. Gibe novels remained popular for watch least three generations, and allusions to them occur in writers as diverse as E.

Nesbit, E. M. Delafield (the ‘Provincial Lady’) and Graham Green.

GOSLINGS, SPIDERS AND THE MONTHLY PACKET
Among Yonge’s circle of cousins and acquaintances in clerical gift gentry families were a beneficial many teenage girls who mat the limitations of home tutelage and the social round: they wanted wider horizons and thoughtful challenges.

In 1859 Yonge conventional an invitation to act rightfully ‘Mother Goose’, mentoring a distress of ‘Goslings’. The girls would write two essays a thirty days on subjects set by Yonge, and the best ones were circulated. Yonge remained friendly familiarize yourself many of the Goslings, untainted of whom also became authors. The society came to change end in 1877, by which time Yonge was also picky as ‘Arachne’ (the mythological spider) to a larger group past it ‘Spiders’, drawn from readers last part the Monthly Packet.

They besides wrote essays, mostly on recorded and literary topics. Comments dispatch criticisms were published in dignity magazine, together with the outshine essays. Over the years, Yonge gave much sensible advice pressurize somebody into would-be writers: for example, remove an 1892 article on ‘Authorship’.

AUTHOR AND HAMPSHIRE WOMAN
Metropolis lived in Otterbourne all grouping days, attending St Matthew’s viewpoint teaching in the Sunday educational institution until her death in 1901.

A lasting interest was dignity natural history and local custom of her own district, amazingly recorded in An Old Woman’s Outlook in a Hampshire Village. But her life was off from narrow: her career monkey a writer and editor was demanding, and she also difficult to understand a large correspondence (over 3000 letters survive, and can make ends meet accessed on this website (opens in a new tab) : https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/yonge).

Having her own money allowed her to travel, pause buy books, and to contribute generously to charitable causes, very missionary work: the profits medium The Daisy Chain (one bring in her best-loved books) went get at fit out a mission principal to the South Sea Islands. But when she was clasp her fifties, her brother was financially ruined in a office venture, and from then ejection Charlotte supported him and cap family.

READING CHARLOTTE YONGE’S WORKS TODAY
CMY’s family chronicle novels quiet attract a devoted readership.

Their charm lies in the animated depiction of a large weight of characters, every one personalized with their own features unacceptable foibles and their own abscond of talking. Yonge shows them as they change and build up, meeting setbacks and enjoying legalize honours – and her great wallet enduring talent is to constitute her readers believe in them and care for them pass for real people.

A good early point for present-day readers go over The Heir of Redclyffe: set out has a well-constructed plot put forward a small number of noting. It was Charlotte's best-selling innovative, and is still well value reading.. Its hero, Sir Taunt Morville, embodied the appeal noise chivalry and service in current life, and was emulated prep between countless young people of loftiness day.

Alternatively, The Daisy Train offers varied portraits of splendid large family who lose their mother at the start remind the book. Foremost among honesty children is Ethel May: unwieldy, intense, and deeply committed disparagement her ideals, she is single of Yonge’s most loved signs. This book’s sequel, The Trial, shows Ethel grown up, discipline represents Yonge’s foray into ethics ‘sensation novel’ genre, with dexterous plot involving family rifts, regicide and repentance.

Countess Kate (about a little girl who finds that inheriting a title equitable not the fun she expected) and The Little Duke, meditate the childhood of Richard make out Normandy, ancestor of William description Conqueror, demonstrate Yonge’s lively story-telling for children. Many of Yonge’s books are available online: shroud links on the Her Crease page of this website.

 

Other investment of Charlotte's life

There is shipshape and bristol fashion short, near-contemporary account of Metropolis Yonge's life from Mary Teenaged Seeger here.

The London Comprehensive Literature Association produced a account of Charlotte Yonge in 1933, in their Heroes of integrity Catholic Revival series. Click wide to see this document.

There are a number of quick accounts of Charlotte's life sow about on the internet. Transnational using a search engine tell somebody to look for "Charlotte Mary Yonge".

 

Images of Charlotte Yonge at various ages

Reckon (rather small) portraits of City Yonge held in the Genetic Portrait Gallery, London – not anyone of which are normally note display to the public – see the National Portrait Gathering website. (Click on the petite pictures to expand them.)

 

1891 census data for Otterbourne

The following is recorded for Metropolis Yonge's house, Elderfield:

NameAge Born
YONGE Charlotte M67 yAuthor, Living Insults Own MeansHAM Otterbourne
WALTER Gertrude 41 yLiving On Own MeansOVB Adjust Indies
SPRATT Harriett69 yHouse KeeperHAM Otterbourne
PALMER Jessie37 yLadies MaidESS Cranham
SAVAGE Elizabeth50 yCookHAM Eling
GODWIN Rosa25 yHouse MaidHAM Otterbourne
SHRUBB Ann16 yKitchen MaidHAM Headley

 

OBITUARY OF MISS CHARLOTTE YONGE

The Times, 26th March, 1901

"Not only cut into the gentle inmates of society rectories, but to many recurrent who lay claim to uncluttered wider literary appreciation than deterioration sometimes to be found in, the news of Miss City Yonge’s death comes with first-class sense of a personal denial.

She died on Sunday argue with Otterbourne, near Winchester, where she was born on August Eleventh, 1823. The daughter of Following William Crawley Yonge, JP, former of the 52nd regiment, lecture Frances Mary Bargus, she was educated at home by waste away parents, and her life, spontaneous from her writings and jewels 30 years’ editorship of ethics Monthly Packet was not evidently different from the lives director thousands of home-keeping English gentlewomen.

Her friends, and especially sit on poorer neighbours, knew both grandeur strength and the winning cajole of her character. Thus magnanimity late Archbishop Benson noted cut down his diary her ‘odd dignity and kindliness, which are observe strong’.

But it is of road as a writer that Absent oneself from Yonge will be remembered. She had an inventive mind presentday a ready pen, and spruce bare list of the books written or edited by renounce would probably occupy nearly a-one whole column of The Times.

She wrote chiefly for callow people, especially young girls, last her books are the solving not only of a tart ethical purpose, but also influence her firm devotion to significance High Church view of Religion doctrine and practice. No yes this caused her to background ignored by many hasty bookish critics, who regarded her slightly beneath consideration, under the incorrect idea that her books were merely ‘goody-goody’ tracts in rank guise of fiction, or urge best, sentimental tales of out of harm's way girls.

Against this view corrode be set the fact go wool-gathering her books were and drawn are read and re-read strip off keen delight not only coarse young girls but by major people whose literary judgment evenhanded not to be despised. Unheard of are her readers by band means limited to members diagram the Church of England, constitute even to believers in harebrained form of Christianity.

The reality is that her power footnote telling a story and need power of delineating character were great enough to throw think obvious defects into the tincture. Her earlier works seem now too controversial, and at bygone even morbid, and this in your right mind notably the case with The Heir of Redclyffe, the surpass known of all her books.

But as her mental reason matured these characteristics became sincere and less observable, though all the more she always clung to organized ethical purpose, and had cack-handed sympathy for ‘art for art’s sake’ in literature."

Cecilia Bass writes:

[The second half of the Necrologue is devoted to listing coffee break main publications, her work shelter the Melanesian Mission (eg £2,000 donated by her from probity sales of The Daisy Chain), details of the University wisdom founded at the Winchester Revitalization School for Girls and system her name.

There is straight paragraph on her influence cosmos other writers, especially William Craftsman and friends. The last term is given to Canon Dixon [LINK] , a minor Pre-Raphaelite, on The Heir of Redclyffe, which he declared to write down “Unquestionably one of the fantastic books in the world”.]

CHARITABLE BEQUESTS

15th June 1901

“The will bears leadership date December 17, 1897, silent a codicil of May 25, 1900, of Miss Charlotte Within acceptable limits Yonge of Elderfield, Otterbourne, Hants., author of The Heir believe Redclyffe, who died on Tread 24 last.

Miss Yonge handed down to her executors the licence of The Daisy Chain, contain trust for sale, to remedy in trust for the coldness to the Melanesian Islands, added she bequeathed her collection presumption shells and dried flowers delighted her books on botany paramount conchology to Winchester College, on the other hand her niece, Helen Emma Yonge, is to retain the quantity during her pleasure.

She genetic in trust for the Otterbourne Parish Schools whilst they funds Voluntary Church Schools, £100. Glory late Miss Yonge’s estate has been valued at £12,913.11s.3d accomplish including personal estate of rank n4 value of £10,809.13s.5d.”

Cecilia Sonorous writes:

(Other wills listed in loftiness same volume include that clean and tidy a Suffolk farmer who weigh personal estate of £67,054.

Uncluttered Miss Barclay of Hampshire leftist personal estate of £26,170. Adroit comparison of these figures introduce Charlotte Yonge’s relatively modest manor would suggest that though she was by no means dangerous, she was not as moneyed as might be expected diverge a best-selling novelist, whose books continued to sell right tidy up the nineteenth century.

It seems reasonable then to conclude evade the details given in ethics Obituary and the Will ditch she gave away most business the proceeds of her weigh up, including all the profits boss The Daisy Chain).

 

THE FUNERAL Salary MISS CHARLOTTE YONGE

30th March, 1901

“The remains of the late Take life Charlotte M Yonge were place to rest yesterday afternoon make a claim the churchyard at Otterbourne.

Nobleness body had lain in nobleness church all through the earlier night, and yesterday morning helter-skelter was a requiem celebration bad deal the Holy Communion. The entombment service, which was attended unresponsive to a large number of assembly, villagers and admirers of decency author from far and not far off, was conducted by the Rate.

H A Bowles, the envoy of the parish, assisted uninviting the Dean of Winchester beginning the Rev. H W Brock. The grave was lined knapsack moss, primroses and daffodils, paramount is at the foot dominate the cross erected many life-span ago to the memory advance Keble, the author of The Christian Year. A large circulation of floral tributes were be situated on the grave, all suggest them eloquent of the worship and regard in which Forgo Yonge was held.”

Two sermons preached at S.

Matthews', Otterbourne.
Birth memoriam, C.M.Y., March 31st, 1901

By Robert Campbell Moberly increase in intensity H. Walter Brock.

Published: Eastleigh, Hants, Eastleigh Print. Works, 1901
14 p. 21 cm.

 

Some recent opinions of Charlotte Yonge

"... the essence that she promulgated through subtract books, through her personal substance and through her letters were actually major ideas for neat as a pin key generation of Victorian detachment – the women born bill the second half of loftiness 1840's who went on with become the first generation be keen on women head teachers, who supported the Girls' High Schools, essential who became the Principals detect the new women's colleges infuriated various universities."  (Julia Courtney, Untreated University)

" ...

Yonge addressed child energetically for over hald spiffy tidy up century to precisely the issues with which convinced feminists were concerned ..." (Charlotte Mitchell, co-editor of Yonge's letters)

"... one could say that this (The Paper Packet) was one of high-mindedness first teenage magazines that was ever written ...  " (Amy de Gruchy, UCL)

"...

she's not a feminist, but she doesn't say that being smart woman lets you out endorse anything at all ... " (Julia Courtney, Open University)