Frances Mary Richardson-Currer

Frances Mary Richardson-Currer, Eshton Hall, Skipton

In the mid-nineteenth century, Miss Frances Mary Richardson-Currer of Eshton Hall, Skipton, became famous for her library and was one of the first female book collectors in Europe. Inheriting her great grandfather's library she built up a collection of 15,000 volumes which she catalogued under subjects such as religion, arts, history, natural history and literature. The second catalogue, compiled by C.J. Stewart, was privately printed in 1833 and gives an insight into the reading habits of the educated upper class.

Miss Currer was also famous as a scholar and became known to Charlotte Bronte who had worked as a governess in a neighbouring house and who may have had access to her library. Miss Currer supported the Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge and Charlotte admired her commitment to mental improvement for women and interest in phrenology - the study of psychology through the bumps and shape of the head. It is thought that Charlotte Bronte chose the name 'Currer' as part of her pseudonym for her first novel as a tribute to Miss Currer. The catalogue for the collection is held in the Glasgow University Library and information can be found about it on their website (http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/women/women.html). (There are lots of books from her library for sale on the internet, so perhaps the library was auctioned off - does anyone know?)

Although it has not been possible to research and digitise archival material relating to this woman for inclusion on the website, it is important that the work of this woman is noted. For this reason, we have included a brief biography about her in order stimulate further reasearch into her life and how she has contributed or continues to contribute to the historical record. We hope that you may be inspired by this website to find out more about any of the women on the site, or to write about other women that you have known or know, and so add yourself to the ever-growing body of knowledge about women in history.