Female Fortune

The Anne Lister Diaries, 1833–36: Land, gender and authority: New Edition

Jill Liddington

• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN:
  9781526164421
• eBook ISBN:
  9781526164407
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: 19th Century History
• Index: History

'A unique and thrilling insight into the brilliant mind of Anne Lister'
Sally Wainwright, creator of Gentleman Jack Female Fortune is the book which inspired Sally Wainwright to write Gentleman Jack, now a major drama series for the BBC and HBO.Lesbian landowner Anne Lister inherited Shibden Hall in 1826. She was an impressive scholar, fearless traveller and successful businesswoman, even developing her own coalmines. Her extraordinary diaries, running to 4-5 million words, were partly written in her own secret code and recorded her love affairs with startling candour. The diaries were included on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2011.Jill Liddington's classic edition of the diaries tells the story of how Anne Lister wooed and seduced neighbouring heiress Ann Walker, who moved in to live with Anne and her family in 1834. Politically active, Anne Lister door-stepped her tenants at the 1835 Election to vote Tory. And socially very ambitious, she employed architects to redesign both the Hall and the estate.Yet Ann Walker had an inconvenient number of local relatives, suspicious of exactly how Anne Lister could pay for all her grand improvements. Tensions grew to a melodramatic crescendo when news reached Shibden of the pair being burnt in effigy.This 2022 edition includes a fascinating Afterword on the recent discovery of Ann Walker's own diary. Female Fortune is essential reading for those who watched Gentleman Jack and want to know more about the extraordinary woman that was Anne Lister.

The Anne Lister Diaries and Other Writings

Page of letter, Captain Sutherland to Ann Walker, 18 April 1834

I
In Token of Our Union

December 1833–August 1834

December 1833

Back at Shibden, Anne Lister shared the household again with her aunt, father, sister and servants: Elizabeth Cordingley, Mrs Oddy, Eugenie Pierre, John and Thomas. She was still irritated by Marian and by the need to consult her father over estate improvements. In running the estate she worked with Samuel Washington and men like Charles Howarth, the joiner. The disruption caused by the building work on the house itself made her feel yet more unsettled.

Monday 23 Breakfast with my father at 7²⁵/₆₀ the moment he came downstairs—he consented to let all the upper land and took very well (no objection) all I said about blocking up his west window by a stack of chimneys.…Some time with my aunt—Dr Kenny came at 1½—my aunt may continue 2 or 3 years, though he does not seem to think she will. Told him it was unfair and absurd to send for me in such circumstances—I had come at the risk of my own life & that of my servants—he said it was not his doing—he wished Marian not to send for me, but she did it in her fright.

Anne received a letter reassuring her ‘how much I am regretted at Copenhagen’. Feeling restless, she visited York for Christmas, then went to nearby Langton to stay with Isabella Norcliffe and her family. She was there when she received an unexpected letter.

Friday 27 Letter (2 pages) from Miss Walker who arrived at Huddersfield on Tuesday night, but was too sick at heart to go home till the next day (Christmas day), when she called at Shibden and wrote the 2nd page of her letter and left it with my aunt to direct and send off. ‘Whilst you are in England I hope you will consider my little cottage [Lidgate] as your own. I have plenty of accommodation for your servants, and 2 rooms entirely at your disposal…’ She had near passed through York on her return and would have consulted Dr Belcombe, but could not without telling her uncle Atkinson, who was with her. Would like to meet me in York on my return and go to Dr B–’, ‘with the full intention of following his advice to the very letter’.…Poor girl! I fear she is not much better. Came to my room at 2.30 and wrote 2 pages in answer and sent them off by Thomas.

Anne Lister's letter to Ann Walker was both affectionate and fairly formal, concerned about Ann's health and asking her to visit her aunt at Shibden. She offered to help manage Ann's life for her: ‘It will be better for you not to think of meeting me in York. I will see you first, and then plan for you as may seem best’. Hearing again from Ann Walker, Anne made her decisive move.

Monday 30 Letter also (2 pages and 2 lines) from Miss Walker—will count each day and hour to my arrival—cannot be too grateful to me. Came to my room at 2 or before. Wrote (2 pages and 2 or 3 lines) to ‘Miss Walker, Lidgate, Halifax’…saying…[I] should leave my servants at Shibden, and then after seeing my aunt, be at Lidgate about 8 in the evening. Will do all I can for her—never to think of repaying me—once well again, her health and happiness would be enough and all that I desired—‘affectionately and faithfully yours AL’.

January 1834

Anne Lister left Langton for Halifax. But first she stopped in York, calling on Dr Steph Belcombe and ‘talked to him to him about a lodging for Miss W– and myself’. She also spent time with friends—including Mrs Milne, sister of Mariana and Steph Belcombe.

Saturday 4 Mrs Milne and I flirting all the morning.…I get tired of her and don't like to be seen with her.…Would not give up my authority to her, tho’ I did to Mrs Norcliffe and Isabella….I off from the Black Swan at 1¾….Made the best of my way to Shibden (never stopt in Leeds) & arrived at 8. A little while with my father & Marian & then with my aunt…her leg more inflamed….Changed my dress—took John to carry my night things and off (walked) to Lidgate at 9 10/” and there at 9 35/”. Miss W– delighted to see me—looking certainly better in spirits than when I saw her last;¹but probably this improvement is merely the result of the present pleasure and excitement on seeing me. Dinner (a mutton steak) then tea and coffee—and went upstairs at 11 40/”. Fine day till about 6pm and then rainy evening and night.

But little had changed: the old equivocations on the part of both women remained.

Sunday 5 Much talk last night till 4 this morning and then not asleep for a long while. She repented having left me—longed to go after me to Copenhagen. Had had Mr Ainsworth writing and offering again etc—once thought she ought to marry—lastly refused him. Her sister told him she [Ann Walker] was not able to judge for herself—but [Ainsworth said] he did not mind this—so both Captain and Mrs Sutherland got annoyed at him, I suppose saw thro’ him.² Miss W– talks as if she would be glad to take me—then if I say anything decisive she hesitates. I tell her it is all her money which is in the way. The fact is, she is as she was before, but was determined to get away from the Sutherlands and feels the want of me. But [I need to] take someone with more mind and less money. Steph [Belcombe] is right: she would be a great pother. Have nothing serious to say to her—she wants better manning than I can manage—I touched her a little but she soon said it exhausted her. I had my drawers on and never tried to get near, knowing that I could not do it well enough. I am weak about her. Oh, that I may get well rid of her. Breakfast at 9½—sat talking—left her alone in the house & came & read prayers to my aunt….Off again at 5 10/” & at Lidgate in ½ hour—dinner at 6¼—coffee & tea at 8½—read a chapter in St Matthew & prayers to the servants & came to my room at 10 20/”—fine day.

Monday 6 At twelve last night felt her on the amoroso…She seems bent on taking me—but yet it is uncertain, for she says nothing quite positive.’Tis well my care for her will not kill me, whether she says eventually ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Ready in an hour then breakfast—out at 11¾—walked with Miss W– to Cliffhill & sat an hour w...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title page
• Frontispiece
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgements 2022
• Acknowledgements
• Anne Lister’s Halifax 1833–36
• Illustration Permissions
• Preface to the 2022 Edition
• Preface to the 2019 Edition: Anne Lister Twenty-one years on.
• Preface
• Introduction
• Note on the Text
• The Anne Lister Diaries and Other Writings
• Epilogue
• Afterword
• Afterword 2022
• Appendix: Key Tenancies on the Shibden Hall Estate c. 1835
• Reference Notes
• Select References
• Index