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
New York’s First Grand Costume Ball of 1840
Category: Women’s Lives
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
Raising Children in a Changing World
Catherine Dibben (1850–1934) gacing displacement and relentless domestic work, she relied on ingenuity, thrift, and endurance to keep her household afloat
Enterprise, Respectability, and Seaside Tourism
Catherine Dibben (1850–1934) returning to Hayling Island after twenty years, managing a boarding house amidst personal losses and the evolving social landscape of the late 19th century
