Victorian Women Explorers and Travel Writers

This group meets monthly and will focus their discussions on the lives of mainly British women who were born during the Victorian era (1820-1914) and famous for their lives as explorers, travellers and writers. They were all women who broke traditional bounds and ventured into uncharted territory during a period of major social, political and economic change.

Lady an explorer? A traveller in skirts? The notion’s just a trifle too seraphic: Let them stay and mind the babies, or hem our ragged shirts; But they mustn’t, can’t and shan’t be geographic. – Punch Magazine, 1893

Stephanie, the group leader, will begin the meeting with a presentation on the chosen topic for the month. Each month’s session will focus on one woman explorer and the group members will have the opportunity to read in advance about the person in focus. Members may use a variety of sources including books, libraries and internet research etc. During each session members will be invited to discuss and share their knowledge and opinions on the topic.