In July 1915, Constance "Sissie" Brock married well-known cricketer Guy Napier during his brief leave from World War I, but he died just 71 days later.
A Brief Wartime Marriage
Category: Women’s Lives
The Baby Born in an Asylum?
The hidden story of Mary Ann Cooper and Isaac Dibben: a tale of love, loyalty and endurance in the face of Victorian scandal and the workhouse
New York’s First Grand Costume Ball of 1840
In February 1840, New York hosted its first grand masked ball, organised by Henry and Laura Brevoort, captivating society and setting a new standard for extravagant celebrations
A Woman of Her Own Making
Catherine Dibben (1850-1934) rose from a poor Hayling Island childhood to running a successful boarding house and inspiring four generations of women
Discovering the Missing Mayhew Child
Lily Violet Dorothy Mayhew (1907–1942) vanished from the records as a baby, only to re-emerge as a young woman whose life was shaped by loss, work, and war
“Present at the Death”
Charlotte Mayhew (c1816–1899): a silenced life recovered through the records
The Good Mother
Leah Ellen Mayo (1847–1927) a young widow, navigated poverty, prejudice, and impossible choices - then reinvented herself to keep her family together
What’s in a name
Julia Lane? (c.1840–1925): Illiterate but resilient, she rose from famine-era Ireland to hardship in London, through her inner strength and determination
The Law According to Mary Elizabeth Blundell
Mary Elizabeth Blundell (née Johnson) (1822-1880): A life of struggle and defiance in Victorian society underscores her resilience and resourcefulness
Marriage, Mobility, and Motherhood
Catherine Dibben (1850–1934) navigating army life, delayed motherhood, and domestic service, she developed skills, patience, and resilience that would later shape her career
