Living in the shadow of empire

Women and the China consular world, 1843–1900

Andrew Hillier

• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781526194589
• eBook ISBN:
  9781526194572
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: 19th Century History
• Index: History

Through multiple stories of courage and determination, never previously explored, the book shows how, in the masculineworld of treaty port China, the wives of consular officials forged and sustained the British presence, despite facing significant challenges and being systematically ignored by the Foreign Office. It goes on to show how through family connection, correspondenceand travel, they extended the British world by building networks linking the metropole to treaty port China and passing on their experiences on to the next generation.Focussing on a category of women who, until now, have been ignored, it demonstrates how such lives can be drawn out of the shadows to present a new and important aspect of Britain's imperial project.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of figures
• Acknowledgements
• List of abbreviations and note on spelling
• Map
• Introduction: Women and the treaty port world
• 1 The heroic period
• 2 The legation world
• 3 Being a consular wife
• 4 Kinship and networks
• 5 Scandalous lives
• 6 Outrages and Boxerism
• 7 Returning home
• Conclusion
• Appendix: Principal characters
• Select bibliography
• Index