Favell Lee Bevan was born on 14 July 1802 at Russell Square in London, England. She was the third of eight children of Favell Bourke Lee (1780–1841) and Barclays bank co-founder David Bevan (1774–1846). When she was six the family moved to Hale End, Walthamstow, where her mother came under the strong evangelical influence of both the Rev. George Collison and the family governess Clara Claire. When Favell was twenty the family moved back to Upper Harley Street in London to enjoy a full social life and her father bought an estate in East Barnet which he named Belmont (East Barnet).
CareerEdit
Bevan oversaw the religious education of children on her father's estates, at Fosbury, in Wiltshire and in East Barnet and her interest in educational writing grew from that experience. She developed her own method of teaching children to read based on an early kind of 'flash cards' rather than the traditional hornbook, with her Reading Disentangled (1834), a set of phonics flashcards, being credited by some as the first flashcards.[1] Her teaching notes were collected and appeared as such works as Peep of Day and Reading Without Tears. According to Todd Pruzan, "For the better part of the 19th century, Mrs. Mortimer was something of a literary superstar to an impressionable audience, both in her native England and beyond."[2] The Peep of Day series was immensely popular: over 500,000 copies of the original edition were issued; it went through numerous English editions; and it was published by the Religious Tract Society in thirty-seven different dialects and languages. Writing in The New Yorker on 4 March 1950, Mortimer's grandniece Rosalind Constable called the book, "one of the most outspokenly sadistic children's books ever written" referring to her great aunt's belief in the need to impress upon children the pains of hell that would result from wrongdoing and the rejection of salvation.
Like many women writers, her books initially appeared anonymously, as "By the Author of 'The Peep of Day.'" Her focus on introductions to other countries and cultures was perhaps ironic, given that she herself rarely travelled outside of her native England.[2] Her way of simplifying religious ideas for very small children was criticised by some contemporaries, and to readers now her piety is unpalatable or amusing and her descriptions of other cultures are marred by unpleasant stereotypes; however, to the student of nineteenth-century children's literature, her texts are instructive. She wrote a Latin textbook for beginners, "Latin Without Tears."
Personal lifeEdit
In 1831 Favell Lee Bevan became friends with Henry Manning, who was a friend of her brother Robert from their time at Harrow School. Manning was six years her junior and initially they shared an intense interest in religious questions. Any suggestion of a romance was brought to an end by her mother in May 1832 and Favell broke off their correspondence which was only re-opened in 1847 after the death of her father. Manning then wrote offering condolences and asking for the return of all his letters to her and offering hers in exchange. According to Audrey Gamble in her history of the Bevan family, his biographer regarded Favell Mortimer as one of the three most important women influencing Manning's life.
In 1841, at the age of 39, she married the Reverend Thomas Mortimer, a popular preacher and minister of the Episcopal Chapel, Gray's Inn Lane, London. Thomas Mortimer was a widower with two young daughters, the elder of whom died young and the other suffered from severe depression necessitating long periods away from her family, much to Favell's distress. Her niece and biographer painted the marriage as a happy one ending with his death in 1850. However, her nephew Edwyn Bevan commemorating the centenary of the publication of Peep of Day suggested that Thomas Mortimer had a violent temper and was sometimes cruel to her. Although the marriage was childless they adopted a young student for the Church of England ministry called Lethbridge Moore as their son in about 1848. He later became Vicar of Sheringham in Norfolk and after the death of her husband Mrs Mortimer moved first to Hendon and then to Norfolk where she cared for several charity orphans whom she saw educated and started in employment. She travelled extensively visiting friends and relations and eventually suffered from a series of strokes, becoming increasingly frail and dying at West Runton on 22 August 1878, surrounded by family and friends. She was buried in Upper Sheringham churchyard.
WorksEdit
The peep of day, or, A series of the earliest religious instruction the infant mind is capable of receiving (1833)
Line upon Line (1837)
More about Jesus (1839)
Near Home, or, The Countries of Europe Described (1849)
Far Off (1849)
Asia and Australia Described (1849)
Far Off, Part II (1852)
Africa and America Described (1854)
Reading without Tears (1857)
Latin without Tears (1877)
Precept Upon Precept (1878)
ResourcesEdit
Bevan, Edwyn, "Peep of Day A Lawgiver in the Nursery, The Long Reign of Miss Bevan", The Times, London, 27 June 1933.
Boase, F. Modern English Biography. 1892–1921.
Constable, Rosalind. Department of Amplification, The New Yorker, 4 March 1950.
Gamble, Audrey, A History of the Bevan Family, Headley Brothers, London, 1923.
Kirk, J. F. A Supplement to Allibone's critical dictionary of English literature. 1891.
Meyer, Mrs (Louisa), The Author of the Peep of Day Being the Life Story of Mrs Mortimer by her niece Mrs Meyer. The Religious Tract Society, London, 1901.
Mitchell, Rosemary. Favell Lee (1802–1878)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. 2 April 2007.
Pruzan, Todd; Mortimer, Favell Lee, The Clumsiest People in Europe: Or, Mrs. Mortimer's Bad-Tempered Guide to the Victorian World. Bloomsbury, London, 2005.[2]
Ward, T. H. Men of the reign... of Queen Victoria. 1885.
Eastwood, Christina, Not Without Tears, John Ritchie, Kilmarnock, 2018
ReferencesEdit
^Pruzan, Todd; Mortimer, Favell Lee (2006). The Clumsiest People in Europe: Or, Mrs. Mortimer's Bad-Tempered Guide to the Victorian World. p. 5. ISBN9781596918825.
^ abcPruzan, Todd (10 June 2005). "The Clumsiest People in Europe". Retrieved 27 September 2013.
Full text of chapbooks written by Favell Lee Mortimer
August 29, 2023
favell, mortimer, born, favell, bevan, july, 1802, august, 1878, british, evangelical, author, educational, books, children, bornfavell, bevan14, july, 1802london, englanddied22, august, 1878occupationauthorspousethomas, mortimerparent, david, bevanfavell, bou. Favell Lee Mortimer born Favell Lee Bevan 14 July 1802 22 August 1878 was a British Evangelical author of educational books for children Favell Lee MortimerBornFavell Lee Bevan14 July 1802London EnglandDied22 August 1878OccupationAuthorSpouseThomas MortimerParent s David BevanFavell Bourke LeeRelativesSilvanus Bevan paternal grandfather Timothy Bevan paternal great grandfather Silvanus Bevan paternal great granduncle Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Works 5 Resources 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditFavell Lee Bevan was born on 14 July 1802 at Russell Square in London England She was the third of eight children of Favell Bourke Lee 1780 1841 and Barclays bank co founder David Bevan 1774 1846 When she was six the family moved to Hale End Walthamstow where her mother came under the strong evangelical influence of both the Rev George Collison and the family governess Clara Claire When Favell was twenty the family moved back to Upper Harley Street in London to enjoy a full social life and her father bought an estate in East Barnet which he named Belmont East Barnet Career EditBevan oversaw the religious education of children on her father s estates at Fosbury in Wiltshire and in East Barnet and her interest in educational writing grew from that experience She developed her own method of teaching children to read based on an early kind of flash cards rather than the traditional hornbook with her Reading Disentangled 1834 a set of phonics flashcards being credited by some as the first flashcards 1 Her teaching notes were collected and appeared as such works as Peep of Day and Reading Without Tears According to Todd Pruzan For the better part of the 19th century Mrs Mortimer was something of a literary superstar to an impressionable audience both in her native England and beyond 2 The Peep of Day series was immensely popular over 500 000 copies of the original edition were issued it went through numerous English editions and it was published by the Religious Tract Society in thirty seven different dialects and languages Writing in The New Yorker on 4 March 1950 Mortimer s grandniece Rosalind Constable called the book one of the most outspokenly sadistic children s books ever written referring to her great aunt s belief in the need to impress upon children the pains of hell that would result from wrongdoing and the rejection of salvation Like many women writers her books initially appeared anonymously as By the Author of The Peep of Day Her focus on introductions to other countries and cultures was perhaps ironic given that she herself rarely travelled outside of her native England 2 Her way of simplifying religious ideas for very small children was criticised by some contemporaries and to readers now her piety is unpalatable or amusing and her descriptions of other cultures are marred by unpleasant stereotypes however to the student of nineteenth century children s literature her texts are instructive She wrote a Latin textbook for beginners Latin Without Tears Personal life EditIn 1831 Favell Lee Bevan became friends with Henry Manning who was a friend of her brother Robert from their time at Harrow School Manning was six years her junior and initially they shared an intense interest in religious questions Any suggestion of a romance was brought to an end by her mother in May 1832 and Favell broke off their correspondence which was only re opened in 1847 after the death of her father Manning then wrote offering condolences and asking for the return of all his letters to her and offering hers in exchange According to Audrey Gamble in her history of the Bevan family his biographer regarded Favell Mortimer as one of the three most important women influencing Manning s life In 1841 at the age of 39 she married the Reverend Thomas Mortimer a popular preacher and minister of the Episcopal Chapel Gray s Inn Lane London Thomas Mortimer was a widower with two young daughters the elder of whom died young and the other suffered from severe depression necessitating long periods away from her family much to Favell s distress Her niece and biographer painted the marriage as a happy one ending with his death in 1850 However her nephew Edwyn Bevan commemorating the centenary of the publication of Peep of Day suggested that Thomas Mortimer had a violent temper and was sometimes cruel to her Although the marriage was childless they adopted a young student for the Church of England ministry called Lethbridge Moore as their son in about 1848 He later became Vicar of Sheringham in Norfolk and after the death of her husband Mrs Mortimer moved first to Hendon and then to Norfolk where she cared for several charity orphans whom she saw educated and started in employment She travelled extensively visiting friends and relations and eventually suffered from a series of strokes becoming increasingly frail and dying at West Runton on 22 August 1878 surrounded by family and friends She was buried in Upper Sheringham churchyard Works EditThe peep of day or A series of the earliest religious instruction the infant mind is capable of receiving 1833 Line upon Line 1837 More about Jesus 1839 Near Home or The Countries of Europe Described 1849 Far Off 1849 Asia and Australia Described 1849 Far Off Part II 1852 Africa and America Described 1854 Reading without Tears 1857 Latin without Tears 1877 Precept Upon Precept 1878 Resources EditBevan Edwyn Peep of Day A Lawgiver in the Nursery The Long Reign of Miss Bevan The Times London 27 June 1933 Boase F Modern English Biography 1892 1921 Constable Rosalind Department of Amplification The New Yorker 4 March 1950 Gamble Audrey A History of the Bevan Family Headley Brothers London 1923 Kirk J F A Supplement to Allibone s critical dictionary of English literature 1891 Meyer Mrs Louisa The Author of the Peep of Day Being the Life Story of Mrs Mortimer by her niece Mrs Meyer The Religious Tract Society London 1901 Mitchell Rosemary Favell Lee 1802 1878 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Ed H C G Matthew and Brian Harrison Oxford OUP 2004 2 April 2007 Pruzan Todd Mortimer Favell Lee The Clumsiest People in Europe Or Mrs Mortimer s Bad Tempered Guide to the Victorian World Bloomsbury London 2005 2 Ward T H Men of the reign of Queen Victoria 1885 Eastwood Christina Not Without Tears John Ritchie Kilmarnock 2018References Edit Pruzan Todd Mortimer Favell Lee 2006 The Clumsiest People in Europe Or Mrs Mortimer s Bad Tempered Guide to the Victorian World p 5 ISBN 9781596918825 a b c Pruzan Todd 10 June 2005 The Clumsiest People in Europe Retrieved 27 September 2013 External links EditWorks by Favell Lee Mortimer at Project Gutenberg Works by Favell Lee Mortimer at Faded Page Canada Works by or about Favell Lee Mortimer at Internet Archive Full text of chapbooks written by Favell Lee Mortimer Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Favell Lee Mortimer amp oldid 1114126707, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
