Things found by the Lancashire Reading Detectives team

The team

• Stephen Miller
• Lynne
• Sophie
• Joanna
• Peter

Other teams

Mrs G Linneaus Banks Find!

On behalf of Reading Detective, Barbara:

Mrs G Linneaus Banks (1821-1897) was born at 10 Oldham Street, Manchester.  In 1860 she decided she couldn't rely on her husband to support her and their children so she began to write at the age of 44 (a true inspiration to anyone who thinks they've got a novel in them).  Her first book 'God's Providence House' was very well received, but her most lasting achievement is 'The Manchester Man'.  It is a Victorian rags-to-riches story of an orphan named Jabez Clegg (if you visit Manchester today there are a number of pubs named after characters from the book).

 There is nothing soft or sentimental about her works, she wrote about working class people and their lives.  She taught in small private schools for nine years as well as being a campaigner for women's rights.  One of her core beliefs and themes in her work was that a child of character from a good home will not be ruined by the worst school, but a spoilt pampered child of indulgent parents will rarely benefit from being at a good school.

9 September 2009 from Stephen Miller

All blog posts | RSS feed

Recent posts

• Allen Clarke on the BBC website
• Brian Jacques
• Mist over Pendle-Robert Neill
• Francis Thompson....poet or serial killer......
• BBC Radio Lancashire
• Lancashire are ready to start the hunt!
• Reading Detectives are go!
• Chorley Library

All blog posts

Help the team

Have you got something to contribute? You can contact us to report your clues and you can comment on our blog posts. It doesn't matter where in the world you are!

See posts tagged with