Mary Elizabeth Braddon
It was on October 4th 1835 in London, England that Ms Mary Elizabeth Braddon would be born. Growing up in a privately educated surrounding, Mary was raised mostly by her mother especially after her father’s 1840 separation. Her only sibling, Edward Braddon left home when Mary was only 10 to British Raj India, but later would move to Australia to take up the position of Premier of Tasmania.
It was in 1860 that Mary would meet John Maxwell who was a publisher of periodicals. John Maxwell was married and had five children with his wife, but she was in an asylum located in Ireland. Mary Braddon would move in with John and his children where she took up a cosy live-in position until the death of John’s wife. Upon her death, John and Mary got married and added another 6 children to the household.
While not able to quite attain the record for the most novels written by a Victorian Era female novelist, she did manage an impressive resume which included over 75 novels. Each of her works featured some very inventive plots of which her most famous one would eventually be Lady Audley's Secret. This was also her first novel and has since been included in film on several occasions in various forms.
During their life together, Mary Braddon also managed to start her own periodical, the Belgravia Magazine which she founded in 1866 and it was frequently filled with a choice selection of poems, novels, biographies as well as narratives and essays. Furthermore, this periodical also included illustrations and was available at a fairly reasonable price which offered a whole new world for those who would not be able to afford many of the other periodicals of the time.
It was on February 4th 1915 that Mary Braddon would die while in Richmond, England. Her home has since been torn down and a block of flats, which were developed by her husband after her death, sits in its place.
Original Authors: Globel Team (Nick)
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 23/07/2008
