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by Mary Upton (Author)
'I am one of the cracked people of the world'. These words, spoken by Barbara Bodichon, placed her outside polite society. Born in 1827, the illegitimate daughter of wealthy reformist politician, Benjamin Smith and a milliner, Anne Longden; Barbara and her siblings were shunned by half of her father's family (which included Florence Nightingale). She needed to be strong. By the age of four years old Barbara had travelled to America by sailing ship and experienced life in the slave owning Southern States. After returning from America the Smith family settled in Hastings, East Sussex where Barbara grew into a feisty young woman and passionate fighter for women's rights. Family life was lively and the artists William Turner and Gabrielle Rossetti were frequent visitors. Barbara became a professional artist herself, at a time when the Royal Academy refused to exhibit the work of women artists. By an act of subterfuge, Barbara and her artist friends shamed the Academy into accepting their work and they went on to found the Society of Female Artists. An intrepid traveller, Barbara rode down through Europe on horseback with her closest friend Bessie Parkes; experiencing at close quarters the political tensions bubbling in the Hapsburg Empire. Her travels eventually took her to Algeria where she met Dr Eugene Bodichon and fell madly in love. The Smith family were outraged and the couple were met with stiff opposition to their marriage. Unfazed, they set off on honeymoon, sailing down the Mississippi river. Barbara was by then feted in New York for her publication of Women and Work and sold her paintings of the Louisiana swamps, when visiting Washington. For decades Barbara lived between England and Algiers. A compromise which saved her marriage. Despite the distance she set up The Langham Place Group in London and worked unstintingly to reform legislation in relation to women. She was successful. The Married Women's Property Act was passed in 1866, but refusing to rest on her laurels, one of her greatest achievements was yet to come. Together with Emily Davies, Barbara set out to provide higher education for women. This dream was hard won as her relationship with Emily demanded all of Barbara's diplomatic skills. She described Emily as a steamroller. Tension often arose between the two women but both needed the other to achieve their goal. Male opposition was loud and damning. Girton was described from the pulpit as "That infidel Place". Fears were expressed that too much academic work would damage women's mental and sexual health. Despite these ridiculous proclamations of doom, the women were not to be thwarted. The first women students entered Girton College, Cambridge in 1873. At the age of fifty, Barbara suffered a stroke.. She was now unable to travel and lived permanently in England. Eugene had become senile and remained in Algiers. Despite her incapacity, Barbara set out to have a Night School and Reading Room attached to the side of her house. This school became a resounding success, providing basic education and literacy skills to young males in the vicinity of Hastings but the end of her life was approaching. Barbara worked for reform throughout her life. Her achievements were impressive. It remains a mystery as to why she has remained under the radar, an unsung heroine.
