Overview

Heroines and harlots, political hostesses and mistresses, the women who lived in the great houses, and the thousands more who led more ordinary lives ‒ they all have a place in British history. Many lived and died without a lasting record of their existence beyond the register of births, marriages and deaths – perhaps not even there. But fortunately, some women did leave behind far richer evidence of their lives, itemised and expressed in the wills they wrote, providing a precious historical record that can be stitched together again today. Using women’s wills across the centuries, this book aims to tell something of women’s stories – the pioneers, the celebrities and the achievers, as well as the majority history ignored. Their bequests are fascinating and diverse, from ‘my best beaver hatt’ mentioned in Tudor times to great houses such as Chequers. They range from the Duchess of Windsor’s Cartier jewels at the top of society to the many wills of poorer women who left practical and personal possessions: pots and pans, household implements and tools for preserving, salting and cheesemaking, clothes passed down to friends and family, or a few pennies for their local church. This book will appeal to anyone interested in Britain’s story and the role women have played in it.

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9781445692432

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Reviews

'An engaging read, and one the shines a light on the wealth of valuable information contained in a woman's will.' -- Current Archaeology Magazine, November 2023 'All in all a very well-researched book, and an asset to the bookshelf of information-seekers of all levels and interests.' -- WDYTYA Magazine, December 2023

'An engaging read, and one the shines a light on the wealth of valuable information contained in a woman's will.' -- Current Archaeology Magazine, November 2023

Author Information

Viki Holton is a business school Senior Research Fellow with more than forty research reports to her name, including Understanding Women’s Careers and The Impact of Social Media on Leadership. Her co-authored books include Strategies for Career Success (forthcoming); How to Thrive and Survive as a Working Woman (Bloomsbury, 2016); How to Coach Your Team: Release Team Potential and Hit Peak Performance (Pearson, 2016) and Women in Business: Navigating Career Success (Palgrave, 2012). Viki is particularly interested in women’s history and studied the life of Queen Elizabeth I as part of an Open University course on Seventeenth Century England: A Changing Culture 1618-1689.

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