Elizabeth & Maria
Sep. 20th, 2012 11:40 amA quick post.
These two ladies are well known, to the extent that I wasn't going to bother mentioning them, but they do let me draw attention to a problem with this sort of project. The women who leave records of their lives as in business are mostly widows, or otherwise single. Not because married women didn't take part in business affairs, but because their activities take place under their husband's name. It's only when they're prominent in society and/or the husband is obviously not involved the business for some period, that the wife's affairs become obvious.
So, here are two women who were both prominent in society and had absent husbands.
The Macarthurs and the merino sheep & Elizabeth in the ADB
Maria Lord (which is a bit dry, but I can't quickly find an article that is not).
These two ladies are well known, to the extent that I wasn't going to bother mentioning them, but they do let me draw attention to a problem with this sort of project. The women who leave records of their lives as in business are mostly widows, or otherwise single. Not because married women didn't take part in business affairs, but because their activities take place under their husband's name. It's only when they're prominent in society and/or the husband is obviously not involved the business for some period, that the wife's affairs become obvious.
So, here are two women who were both prominent in society and had absent husbands.
The Macarthurs and the merino sheep & Elizabeth in the ADB
Maria Lord (which is a bit dry, but I can't quickly find an article that is not).
