Clara Collett, 1860-1948: An Educated Working Woman »

A specialist in the East End of London and in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, McDonald (Manchester Metropolitan U.) reconstructs the life of Collet (1860-1948) as representative of an educated middle-class working woman, from her diary and correspondence. She explains how she worked in the Civil Service, highly influenced social and economic policy and reforms to benefit women and the poor, and advised Cabinet Members on matters concerning women's work. Her peers and modern researchers agree that her work as a social investigator is superior to that of her contemporary Beatrice Webb. Distributed in the US by Taylor & Francis. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Part I Childhood 1860-78: Of Humble Origins; Education and Revolution 1873-78; Dogberrys and Marxs 1873-78. Part 2 Life in Leicester 1878-85: The School Mistress - A Pleasant Life; Relationship, Traumas and Celebrities. Part 3 The East End, Poverty and Investigation 1885-93: Poverty in the East End and the Charity Organization Society; Jack the Ripper and Charles Booth; The Interim Years 1890-93. Part 4 A New Way of Life: 1893-1910: The Civil Service - A Suitable Career for a Woman?; George Gissing - "Born in Exile"; George and Clara - An Intimate Friendship?; Aftermath. Part 5 An Educated Working Woman and Beyond 1903-48: A Successful Life; The Final Chapter. Epilogue. Appendix 1: Geneaology of the Collet Family Appendix 2: Chronology of Clara's Life and Historical Events.