Some Famous Women

In Short

Louise Creighton presents a biographical tapestry spanning over a millennium, introducing young readers to legendary saints, pioneering scientists, wartime heroines, and monarchs. The book captures pivotal moments in British and European history through the lived experiences of women who led, endured, and transformed society. From Anglo-Saxon abbeys to Crimean field hospitals and the royal courts of 19th-century Britain, Creighton traces how women wielded faith, intellectual passion, and moral fortitude to exert profound public influence. Written at the turn of the twentieth century, it endures as a lucid, grounded testament to female agency and devotion.

The Story

Creighton’s historical survey traces a chronological sweep from seventh-century Anglo-Saxon England through the dawn of the twentieth century, framing the history of civilization through the lives of exceptional women.

The story opens in the early medieval era with St. Hilda, the Abbess of Whitby, who fosters religious scholarship and nurtures the shepherd Cædmon, whose divinely inspired song yields the first great English Christian poetry. From this early monastics, the narrative moves into medieval courtly life and conflict with Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, whose personal fortunes mirror the turbulent political factions surrounding her husband, the Black Prince, and her young son, King Richard II.

The narrative’s moral core expands with Jeanne d’Arc, the Maid of France, whose visionary conviction rallies a defeated nation, raises the siege of Orleans, and secures the coronation of Charles VII at Rheims, before meeting her heroic death at the stake. Creighton then turns to the dynastic struggles of the Wars of the Roses through Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, who fiercely safeguards her delicate son, the future Henry VII, steering him through exile and imprisonment to found the Tudor dynasty.

Entering the seventeenth century, the political drama sharpens in the life of Rachel, Lady Russell. Following the execution of her husband, Lord William Russell, she navigates grief and public scrutiny, dedicating her widowhood to educating her children and managing her extensive Hampshire estates with profound faith and legal prudence.

The nineteenth century introduces women who broke open public and professional spheres. Elizabeth Fry confronts the squalor of Newgate Prison, establishing classes, organizing orderly transport for women convicts bound for Australia, and addressing Parliament to reform criminal law. Concurrently, Mary Somerville quietly defies societal expectations in Edinburgh and London, rising at dawn to master higher mathematics and physical sciences despite public skepticism.

As the narrative nears modern times, the focus shifts to crisis and active service. Julia Selina Inglis survives five grueling months under siege at the Residency during the 1857 siege of Lucknow, shielding her small children amid constant shelling. Florence Nightingale revolutionizes military health care amidst the cholera outbreaks and horrific trench casualties of the Crimean War at Scutari. Isabella Bird traverses remote corners of Japan, China, and Morocco on horseback, documenting unmapped regions. Sister Dora (Dorothy Pattison) voluntarily isolates herself in Walsall to manage a terrifying smallpox epidemic, earning the adoration of the industrial town. The narrative concludes with Queen Victoria, whose six-decade reign demonstrates how a steadfast sense of duty and moral independence can redefine the modern monarchy.

How It Unfolds

The medieval faith and crown The book begins in the Anglo-Saxon era at Whitby Abbey, where the Abbess Hilda turns a humble horse-keeper into England's first sacred poet. The narrative then moves to the chivalric courts of the Hundred Years' War, tracing the rise and tragic decline of the Black Prince and his wife Joan.

Visionaries and dynastic mothers Jeanne d'Arc hears heavenly voices, leads French troops to victory, and brings the hesitant Dauphin to his coronation at Rheims before her martyrdom. Meanwhile in England, Margaret Beaufort navigates the deadly factions of the Wars of the Roses to preserve her delicate son Henry's life, eventually seeing him crowned as the first Tudor monarch.

Tragedy and moral fortitude Lady Rachel Russell stands by her husband through his trial, surviving his execution to raise her young children and manage vast estates through quiet faith and legal intelligence. In the industrial era, Elizabeth Fry steps into the chaos of Newgate Prison to bring order, education, and dignity to condemned women and convict ships.

Science, war, and sacrifice Mary Somerville perseveres through societal coldness to master advanced mathematics, while Julia Selina Inglis survives five months of intense bombardment during the siege of Lucknow. Florence Nightingale brings order to the nightmarish military hospitals of Scutari, while Sister Dora single-handedly nurses an entire town through a deadly smallpox outbreak.

Exploration and imperial duty Isabella Bird travels through unexplored regions of Asia and Africa on horseback, writing vivid travel books despite chronic ill health. The volume finishes with Queen Victoria, detailing her accession as a girl-queen, her long reign, and her ultimate role as an anchor of national duty.

The People

• St. Hilda: The wise Abbess of Whitby who recognizes spiritual gifts in the unlettered and fosters an environment of piety, learning, and early English poetry.
• Jeanne d’Arc: A devout French peasant girl whose unyielding conviction and military persistence rally a divided nation, break English sieges, and crown a reluctant king.
• Margaret Beaufort: The resolute Lancastrian mother who spends years protecting her fragile son from Yorkist rivals, strategically guiding him toward the throne.
• Rachel, Lady Russell: An intellectual, deeply religious woman who bears the grief of her husband’s political execution by devoting her life to her children's education and estate management.
• Elizabeth Fry: A compassionate Quaker reformer who physically enters dangerous, overcrowded prisons to teach, organize, and advocate for systemic penal reform.
• Mary Somerville: A self-taught Scottish mathematician who defies social ridicule and early morning cold to master the sciences, becoming an intellectual pioneer.
• Florence Nightingale: A fierce, methodical organizer who combats filth, disease, and military bureaucracy to save hundreds of wounded soldiers at Scutari.
• Sister Dora: A courageous, tireless nurse who leaves her regular hospital to manage a isolated epidemic ward in Walsall, comforting infected patients alone.
• Queen Victoria: A conscientious monarch who navigates decades of political shift with a strong sense of personal responsibility, rising above party politics to earn national reverence.

In Its Own Voice

She directed some of the brethren to teach him the sacred history contained in the Bible, that he might turn it into song.

Abbess Hilda recognizes Cædmon’s divine gift and immediately integrates the humble farm worker into the intellectual life of her monastery.

Gentle King, now is accomplished the will of God, who decreed that I should raise the siege of Orleans and bring you to this city of Rheims to receive your solemn sacring.

Jeanne d’Arc kneels before Charles VII inside the grand cathedral after fulfilling her visionary quest to crown the true king of France.

She could never stay quiet for long and travelled about in England, Scotland, and Switzerland, and when in Edinburgh was busy with all kinds of work for others.

Isabella Bird’s restless spirit and physical resilience drive her continuous search for adventure and public service across the globe.

What It's Really About

Beneath its biographical structure, Some Famous Women argues that historical influence does not depend on military rank or parliamentary power, but on moral discipline, intellect, and practical service. Creighton explores how women throughout history navigated severe structural limitations—whether forced isolation, societal hostility to female education, or physical danger—by anchoring themselves in a clear sense of purpose.

The text addresses fundamental questions about duty, faith, and public responsibility. Creighton demonstrates that individual courage, whether demonstrated on a battlefield, in a disease-ridden hospital ward, or at a study desk at daybreak, can fundamentally alter the trajectory of a community or a nation. The book celebrates practical action over idle debate, elevating women whose quiet perseverance reshaped social systems and inspired future generations.

Why Read It Today

This collection will appeal to readers who appreciate clear, grounded history, historical biography, and studies of quiet resolve. Written in an accessible, direct style, it offers a refreshing antidote to sensationalized historical fiction. Reading Creighton feels like sitting with an extraordinarily well-informed, articulate editor who values facts, character, and narrative clarity above all else.

The prose carries the distinct flavor of the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods, characterized by straightforward moral framing and a modest, unpretentious tone. Readers should expect an unapologetically British, period-typical perspective on nineteenth-century imperial history—particularly in chapters covering the siege of Lucknow and British foreign campaigns. Rather than diminishing the work, these period attitudes offer a fascinating historical lens into how turn-of-the-century historians framed female heroism for young audiences. What stays with you long after closing the book is the sheer variety of ways these twelve women claimed their agency: not by asking for permission, but by stepping directly into the work that needed to be done.