Arabella Shore
Arabella Shore was a 19th-century English poet and advocate for women's rights, born in Bedfordshire between 1820 and 1824. She was one of five siblings in the Shore family, which included fellow poet Louisa Shore and their sickly sister Emily, whose untimely death deeply affected the family. Arabella's literary contributions often intertwined with her sister Louisa's work; together they published several poetry collections, notably "War Lyrics: Dedicated to the Friends of the Dead" in 1855, responding to the tumultuous events of their time, including the Crimean War.
Following the deaths of their parents and brother, Arabella and Louisa grew closer, collaborating on works such as "Fra Dolcino, and Other Poems" in 1870. Beyond poetry, Arabella became an important voice in the women's suffrage movement, publishing essays that argued for women's rights, notably "An Answer to John Bright's Speech on Women's Suffrage" in 1877. After Louisa's death in 1895, Arabella continued her literary efforts, including the publication of her sister's works and her own collection of poems in 1900. Arabella Shore's writings offer valuable insights into the challenges faced by Victorian women writers and their contributions to social change. She passed away on January 9, 1901, leaving behind a legacy of advocacy and artistic expression.
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Subject Terms
Arabella Shore
- Born: c. 1820-1824
- Birthplace: Bedfordshire, England
- Died: January 9, 1901
- Place of death:
Biography
Arabella Shore was born between 1820 and 1824 to Thomas and Margaret Anne Twopeny Shore in Bedfordshire, England. Her father was a tutor to young aristocrats. There were five children in the Shore family: Richard, the eldest; Emily; Arabella; Louisa; and Mackworth. All of the female children of the family had literary ambitions. Indeed, any consideration of the work of Arabella Shore must include some mention of both Emily and Louisa Shore.
Emily Shore was a sickly young woman, and the family moved in 1838 to Madeira for the climate. In spite of this, Emily died of tuberculosis. Both sisters mourned her loss, and also their brother Mackworth’s decision to emigrate to Australia in 1841.
In 1845, the family moved to London in response to Margaret Shore’s ill health. While her family traveled to Paris for an extended stay from 1851 to 1853, Arabella chose to remain in London.
In 1854, Louisa sent Arabella her poem “War Music,” verses in response to the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. Arabella submitted the poem to the Spectator where it was published. Both sisters continued to write poetry about the war and in January, 1855, they published their first volume, War Lyrics: Dedicated to the Friends of the Dead. In this volume, six poems appear to be by Arabella with the remaining poems written by her sister Louisa. Likewise, the 1859 volume, Gemma of the Isles: Lyrical Drama, and Other Poems, was a collaboration between the sisters.
During the 1860’s, Arabella lost her mother, her brother Macworth, and her father. These losses resulted in Arabella and Louisa growing increasingly close. They lived together for the eight years after their father’s death. In 1870, the sisters published another of their collaborations, Fra Dolcino, and Other Poems. The book had a poor reception, and the sisters turn their sights to social change.
In the 1870’s and 1880’s the sisters became particularly involved in the struggle for women’s suffrage. Arabella published An Answer to John Bright’s Speech on Women’s Suffrage in 1877. In addition, several of her essays, including “The Present Aspect of Women’s Suffrage Considered” and “What Women Have a Right To,” were not only published in her lifetime, but also collected in 1987 in a volume edited by Jane Lewis, Before the Vote Was Won: Arguments for and Against Women’s Suffrage.
In 1891, the sisters edited and published their sister Emily’s notebooks, some fifty years after Emily’s death. After Louisa’s death in 1895, Arabella continued publishing, beginning with a collection of Louisa’s work for which she wrote an introduction and commentary. In 1900, Arabella published her own collected poems. She died on January 9, 1901.
Arabella Shore is largely responsible for the publication of her sister Louisa’s work. It was her continual encouragement and her ability to organize writing for publication that kept Louisa’s poetry in print. In addition, she produced many fine poems and essays concerning women’s rights. Her writings have received increasing critical attention and provide an important insight into the lives of Victorian women writers.