Arthur Joseph Munby
Arthur Joseph Munby (1828-1910) was an English civil servant, poet, and diarist, known for his detailed observations of Victorian life. Born in Clifton, he attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1851. Although he initially practiced law, he dedicated over thirty years to a position at the Ecclesiastical Commission. Munby published his first volume of poetry in 1852, but it is his extensive diary, kept from 1859 until nearly his death, that has garnered significant attention for its insights into the social fabric of his time.
His diary not only chronicles his personal experiences and interactions with notable literary and artistic figures but also illustrates his fascination with working women, whom he depicted with respect and depth, challenging contemporary stereotypes. Munby's relationship with Hannah Cullwick, a maid whom he married in secret after nearly twenty years, highlights his progressive views on gender roles. This unconventional partnership, rooted in love rather than class expectations, offers a unique perspective on the dynamics of social status in the Victorian era. Upon his passing, the true nature of his marriage was revealed, alongside a wealth of diaries that provide a valuable resource for understanding the lives of working-class women during the period.
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Subject Terms
Arthur Joseph Munby
Poet
- Born: August 19, 1828
- Birthplace: Clifton, near York, England
- Died: January 29, 1910
Biography
Arthur Joseph Munby was born on August 19, 1828, in Clifton, England, to Joseph Munby and Caroline Forth Munby. After attending St. Peter’s school, he matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge, earning a B.A. in 1851. He briefly practiced law before obtaining a civil service post on the Ecclesiastical Commission, a job he held for more than thirty years.
Munby published his first volume of poetry in 1852. It was not as a poet, however, that Munby is best remembered. Rather, the detailed and copious diary he kept from 1859 until near the end of his life offers contemporary readers an incredible view of Victorian life and obsession. Munby recorded both his daily moments as a gentleman in society and the larger issues of his day. He also wrote of great historical events with exquisite detail, including sketches. In addition, his diary offers anecdotes, encounters, and opinions on the leading artistic and literary figures of his day.
Perhaps most important for later historians, he developed an interest in working women engaged in physical labor of all sorts. This hobby nearly became an obsession and he traveled across the country interviewing and sketching women. He left remarkable accounts of bait girls, colliers, and plough women. While many men of the period frequented prostitutes, Munby chronicled their lives not as sexual objects but as working women. His attitude toward women was remarkably modern; rather than subscribe to the sentimental feminism of his day, he believed that women were as strong and capable as men.
In 1854, Munby met Hannah Cullwick, a maid-of-all-work. He fell in love with her, although the match was highly unsuitable for a man of his social class. Regardless, the two carried on a romance for nearly twenty years before their secret marriage in 1773. The story of their relationship, recorded in both his diary and the journal he encouraged Hannah to keep, is a strange tale. After years of clandestine meetings and vacations, Munby finally married Cullwick in 1773, moving her into his house at that time. To all outsiders, however, she was his servant and housekeeper, maintaining quarters in the basement of his house. Only three of Munby’s contemporaries knew the truth of the relationship. Although Munby apparently wanted his wife to become a lady, she steadfastly refused, preferring the life of a serving woman.
In the 1880’s, Munby moved Hannah to Shropshire, although he maintained his home in London. She grew ill and died in 1909. Munby himself died on January 29, 1910. With his death, the secret of his marriage was revealed, although his diaries and papers were sealed until 1950.
Munby’s achievements as a writer were largely unrecognized in his own day. His poetry was largely unremarkable. His private papers, however, reveal a skilled diarist who carefully recorded contemporary life for posterity. In particular, the records he kept regarding the material lives of working-class women are invaluable for scholars researching the Victorian era.