Chapter I: Front Matter

THE LIFE OF MRS. HUMPHRY WARD

FROM A WATER-COLOUR PAINTING BY MRS A. H. JOHNSON]

THE LIFE OF MRS. HUMPHRY WARD

BY HER DAUGHTER

JANET PENROSE TREVELYAN

Author of "A Short History of the Italian People"

NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 1923

_Printed in Great Britain by_ Butler & Tanner Ltd., _Frome and London_

TO DOROTHY MARY WARD

AUTHOR'S NOTE

My warmest thanks are due to the many friends who have helped me, directly or indirectly, in the writing of this book, but especially to all those who have sent me the letters they possessed from Mrs. Ward, or who have given me leave to publish their own. Mr. Henry Gladstone kindly looked out for me the letters written by Mrs. Ward to Mr. Gladstone during the _Robert Elsmere_ period; Mrs. Creighton did the same for the long period covered by Mrs. Ward's correspondence with the Bishop and with herself; Miss Arnold of Fox How sent me many valuable letters belonging to the later years. So with Mrs. A. H. Johnson, Mrs. Conybeare, Mrs. R. Vere O'Brien, Sir Robert Blair, Mr. Leonard Huxley, Mrs. Reginald Smith, Lord Buxton, M. Chevrillon, Miss McKee, Mrs. Turner, Miss Gertrude Wood, and many others, and although the letters may not in all cases have been suitable for publication, they have given me many valuable side-lights on Mrs. Ward's life and work.

To Mrs. A. H. Johnson my special thanks are due for permission to reproduce her water-colour portrait of Mrs. Ward, and to Mrs. T. H. Green for much help in connexion with the Oxford portion of the book.

No book at all, however, could have been produced, even from the material so generously placed at my disposal, had it not been for the constant collaboration of my father and sister, whose help in sifting great masses of papers and in advising me in all difficulties has been my greatest support throughout this task.

J. P. T.

BERKHAMSTEAD,
_July, 1923_.

CONTENTS

PAGES

CHAPTER I

CHILDHOOD

Mary Arnold's Parentage--The Sorells--Thomas Arnold the Younger--Marriage in Tasmania with Julia Sorell--Conversion to Roman Catholicism--Return to England--The Arnold Family--Mary Arnold's Childhood--Schools--Her Father's Re-conversion--Removal to Oxford 1-16

CHAPTER II

LIFE AT OXFORD, 1867-1881

Oxford in the 'Sixties--Mark Pattison and Canon Liddon--Mary Arnold and the Bodleian--First Attempts at Writing--Marriage with Mr. T. Humphry Ward--Thomas Arnold's Second Conversion--Oxford Friends--The Education of Women--Foundation of Somerville Hall--_The Dictionary of Christian Biography_--Pamphlet on "Unbelief and Sin" 17-34

CHAPTER III

EARLY YEARS IN LONDON--THE WRITING OF _ROBERT ELSMERE_, 1881-1888

Mr. Ward takes work on _The Times_--Removal to London--The House in Russell Square--London Life and Friends--Work for John Morley--Letters--Writer's Cramp--_Miss Bretherton_--Borough Farm--Amiel's _Journal Intime_--Beginnings of _Robert Elsmere_--Long Struggle with the Writing--Its Appearance, February 24, 1888--Death of Mrs. Arnold 35-54

CHAPTER IV

_ROBERT ELSMERE_ AND AFTER, 1888-1889

Reviews--Mr. Gladstone's Interest--His Interview with Mrs. Ward at Oxford--Their Correspondence--Article in the _Nineteenth Century_--Circulation of _Robert Elsmere_--Letters--Visit to Hawarden--_Quarterly_ Article--The Book in America--"Pirate" Publishers--Letters--Mrs. Ward at Hampden House--Schemes for a _New Brotherhood_ 55-80

CHAPTER V

UNIVERSITY HALL, _DAVID GRIEVE_ AND "STOCKS," 1889-1892

Foundation of University Hall--Mr. Wicksteed as Warden--The Opening--Lectures--Social Work at Marchmont Hall--Growing Importance of the Latter--Mr. Passmore Edwards Promises Help--Our House on Grayswood Hill--Sunday Readings--The Writing of _David Grieve_--Visit to Italy--Reception of the Book--Letters--Removal to "Stocks" 81-103

CHAPTER VI

THE STRUGGLE WITH ILL-HEALTH--_MARCELLA_ AND _SIR GEORGE TRESSADY_--THE BUILDING OF THE PASSMORE EDWARDS SETTLEMENT, 1892-1897

Mrs. Ward much Crippled by Illness--The Writing of _Marcella_--Stocks Cottage--Reception of the Book--Quarrel with the Libraries--_The Story of Bessie Costrell_--Friends at Stocks--Letter from John Morley--_Sir George Tressady_--Letters from Mrs. Sidney Webb and Mr. Rudyard Kipling--Renewed attacks of Illness--The Building and Opening of the Passmore Edwards Settlement 104-122

CHAPTER VII

CHILDREN AND ADULTS AT THE PASSMORE EDWARDS SETTLEMENT--THE FOUNDATION OF THE INVALID CHILDREN'S SCHOOL, 1897-1899

Beginnings of the Work for Children--The Recreation School--The Work for Adults--Finance--Mrs. Ward's interest in Crippled Children--Plans for Organizing a School--She obtains the help of the London School Board--Opening of the Settlement School--The Children's Dinners--Extension of the Work--Mrs. Ward's Inquiry and Report--Further Schools opened by the School Board--After-care--Mrs. Ward and the Children 123-142

CHAPTER VIII

_HELBECK OF BANNISDALE_--CATHOLICS AND UNITARIANS--_ELEANOR_ AND THE VILLA BARBERINI, 1896-1900

Origins of _Helbeck_--Mrs. Ward at Levens Hall--Her Views on Roman Catholicism--Creighton and Henry James--Reception of _Helbeck_--Letter to Creighton--Mrs. Ward and the Unitarians--Origins of _Eleanor_--Mrs. Ward takes the Villa Barberini--Life at the Villa--Nemi--Her Feeling for Italy 143-164

CHAPTER IX

MRS. WARD AS CRITIC AND PLAYWRIGHT--FRENCH AND ITALIAN FRIENDS--THE SETTLEMENT VACATION SCHOOL, 1899-1904

Mrs. Ward and the Brontës--George Smith and Charlotte--The Prefaces to the Brontë Novels--André Chevrillon--M. Jusserand--Mrs. Ward in Italy and Paris--The Translation of Jülicher--Death of Thomas Arnold--The South African War--Death of Bishop Creighton and George Smith--Dramatization of _Eleanor_--William Arnold--Mrs. Ward and George Meredith--The Marriage of her Daughter--The Vacation School at the Passmore Edwards Settlement 165-186

CHAPTER X

LONDON LIFE--THE BEGINNINGS AND GROWTH OF THE CHILDREN'S PLAY CENTRES, 1904-1917

Mrs. Ward's Social Life--Her Physical Delicacy--Power of Work--American Friends--F. W. Whitridge--Plans for Extending Recreation Schools for Children to other Districts--Opening of the first "Evening Play Centres"--The "Mary Ward Clause"--Negotiations with the London County Council--Efforts to raise Funds--No help from the Government till 1917--Two more Vacation Schools--Organized Playgrounds--_Fenwick's Career_--"Robin Ghyll" 187-206

CHAPTER XI

THE VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, 1908

Invitations to visit America--Mr. and Mrs. Ward and Dorothy sail in March, 1908--New York--Philadelphia--Washington--Mr. Roosevelt--Boston--Canada--Lord Grey and Sir William van Horne--Mrs. Ward at Ottawa--Toronto--Her Journey West--Vancouver--The Rockies--Lord Grey and Wolfe--_Canadian Born_ and _Daphne_ 207-223

CHAPTER XII

MRS. WARD AND THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION

Early Feeling against Women's Suffrage--The "Protest" in the _Nineteenth Century_--Advent of the Suffragettes--Foundation of the Anti-Suffrage League--Women in Local Government--Speeches against the Suffrage--Debate with Mrs. Fawcett--Deputations to Mr. Asquith--The "Conciliation Bill"--The Government Franchise Bill--Withdrawal of the Latter--_Delia Blanchflower_--The "Joint Advisory Committee"--Women's Suffrage passed by the House of Commons, 1917--Struggle in the House of Lords--Lord Curzon's Speech 224-245

CHAPTER XIII

LIFE AT STOCKS, 1908-1914--_THE CASE OF RICHARD MEYNELL_--THE OUTBREAK OF WAR

Rebuilding of Stocks--Mrs. Ward's Love for the Place--Her Way of Life and Work--Greek Literature--Politics--The General Elections of 1910--Visitors--Nephews and Nieces--Grandchildren--Death of Theodore Trevelyan--The "Westmorland Edition"--Sense of Humour--_The Case of Richard Meynell_--Letters--Last Visit to Italy--_The Coryston Family_--The Outbreak of War 246-263

CHAPTER XIV

THE WAR, 1914-1917--MRS. WARD'S FIRST TWO JOURNEYS TO FRANCE

Mrs. Ward's feeling about Germany--Letter to André Chevrillon--Re-organization of the Passmore Edwards Settlement--President Roosevelt's Letter--Talk with Sir Edward Grey--Visits to Munition Centres--To the Fleet--To France--Mrs. Ward near Neuve Chapelle and on the Scherpenberg Hill--Return Home--_England's Effort_--Death of F. W. Whitridge and of Reginald Smith--Second Journey to France, 1917--The Bois de Bouvigny--The Battle-field of the Ourcq--Lorraine--_Towards the Goal_ 264-287