Author profile

Frances Power Cobbe

1822 - 1904

Best known work

  • On the Pursuits of Women, 1863

Other well known work(s)

  • The Intuitive Theory of Morals, 1855
  • The Duties of Women, 1881

Genres

  • Politics / Philosophy / Essays
  • Journalism
  • Biography / Autobiography

Nom de plume

None

Social class

Upper class

Parental background

Her father was a landowner and Cobbe was educated for two years at a very expensive school in Brighton.

At publication of best known work

  • Age: 41
  • Marital status: Unmarried (cohabiting with Mary Lloyd)
  • Number of children: 0

Physical description

Described by the Rev John Verschoyle in a 1904 tribute: "above the mighty girth emphasised by the dress, rose a strong, intellectual face, backed by a great leonine head, with a mane of strong, short-cut hair." He remarks on her "penetrating gaze" and "great obesity" (The Review of Reviews, June 1904).

Did you know?

Cobbe was frightened of being buried alive and left instructions that the arteries of her neck and windpipe should be completely severed after her death (Barbara Caine, ODNB).

Additional information

Cobbe's autobiography (1895) can be found on the Internet Archive. A biography with links to other useful biographies can be found on Alison Booth's site Collective Biographies of Women.

 

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Last edited: 22/01/2019 10:14:00