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Nancy Bell (author)

December 15, 2023

For the Canadian politician, see Nancy Bell.

Nancy Bell
Born(1844-09-02)2 September 1844
Lambeth, Surrey, England
Died30 August 1933(1933-08-30) (aged 88)
Keynsham, Somerset, England
NationalityBritish
Other namesMrs Arthur Bell, N. D'Anvers
Occupation(s)Writer and Translator
Years active1874 – 1920
Known forTranslating Jules Verne
Notable workThe Elementary History of Art

Nancy Regina Emily Meugens Bell (2 September 1844 – 30 August 1933)[1][2] was a prolific British translator and author of partial Belgian descent.

Home life edit

Bell was born to Peter Joseph Meugens (1808 – 1886) and Elizabeth Caroling Bennet (1807 – 1845). Peter Joseph had been born in Antwerp and became a naturalised British subject. He variously gave his occupation on census returns and birth registration forms as colonial broker or merchant. Bell's mother died before she was a year old, and her father quickly remarried to Emily Wallis (1821 – 1883) before Bell was two years old.

Bell was living with her father and stepmother in Wandsworth at the time of the 1871 census. She was already writing translations, with her first major work published in 1873. By 3 April 1881 (census night) Bell was boarding at 61 Elsham Road, Kensington, London, and described herself as an authoress and teacher on the census return.

In 1882, she married the landscape painter Arthur George Bell (21 February 1849 – 24 September 1916). The couple had three children, two boys and one girl (the youngest). These were:

  • Kenneth Normal Bell (1884 – 1951)
  • Eric Arthur Bell (1885 – 1912)
  • Irene Agnes Bell (1887 – 1946)

The family lived in Southend-on-Sea on 5 April 1891 and described themselves as authoress (Nancy) and artist (Arthur) on the census return. In 1891 they moved to Southbourne, Dorset (near Bournemouth), where they stayed in two different houses before moving to Rasgarth a house which Arthur Bell had designed and built with a good eye to natural light. The Bournemouth Graphic described it in 1903 as an ideal painter's home.[3]

The Bells were still there in 1901, but the 1911 Census found them at St Georges, Queens Road, Richmond, Surrey. They still kept the house in Bournemouth, as it was here on 24 September 1919 that Arthur dies suddenly from a heart attack. Bell held an exhibition of her husband's work in Rasgarth in 1920 to raise funds for the blind.

Work edit

Bell produced a surprisingly large volume of work while active. The list below only gives a small flavour of her output. She used the pseudonym Nancy D'Anvers or N. D'Anvers (Nancy of Antwerp) until her marriage, after which she wrote as Mrs Arthur Bell.

Her first major work was a translation of Jules Verne's Les pays des fourrers. The original work had been published in France on 19 June 1873, and Bell had finished her translation by October, with Sampson Low publishing The Fur Country in November, in time for the Christmas market. This was only the first of her three Jules Verne translations. She may have contributed to a fourth translation, of Around the World in 80 Days, but the extent of her input is uncertain.[1]

She continued to work until 1920, producing translations, and religious, travel, and art history books until about 1920. She was an ardent Catholic and produced several hagiographies.[1] She also wrote some books for children including Nanny, Pixie, Dobbie, Red Jem, Pierre: A Tale of Normandy, Hindu Tales etc.[4]

In 1902, the publisher George Bell & Sons contracted her to write a biography of James McNeill Whistler. Whistler was appalled, and there is a long correspondence of 24 letters in which Bell tried to get Whistler to agree to photographs of his paintings being used in the book. The book was only published in 1904, after Whistler's death, and the letters form part of the Whistler collection at the University of Glasgow.[5]

Many of Bell's books were illustrated by her husband Arthur, and the lithographs form an important example of his work. Sixteen of his paintings are in public collections in the UK.[6]

Death edit

Bell was living at Burlington House near Bristol when she died on 30 August 1933. Her will was administered by her son Kenneth who was by then a Fellow Of Balliol College in Oxford. Bell's estate was worth £1,536 1s.[2] She was survived by her son Kenneth and her daughter Irene.

Selected publications edit

  • An Elementary History of Art (1874; 2nd ed: 1882) (1889 edition)
  • Jules Verne, The Fur Country; or, Seventy degrees North latitude (1874)[7]
  • Raphael (1879)
  • Venezia (1894, translated)
  • Among the Women of the Sahara (1900, translated)
  • Lives and Legends of the Evangelists, Apostles, and other early Saints (1901)
  • Lives and Legends of the English Bishops and Kings, Mediæval Monks, and other later Saints (1904)
  • Paolo Veronese (1904)
  • Nuremberg (1905)
  • Tintoretto (1905)
  • The Royal Manor of Richmond with Petersham, Ham and Kew (1907)
  • The Historical Outskirts of London (1907)
  • The Skirts of the Great City (1908)[8]
  • Mantegna (1911)
  • Architecture (1914)
  • Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit (1919) (edited)
  • Jules Verne, The Blockade Runners

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Wolcott, Norman (1 March 2005). "Jules Verne Mondial: The Victorian Translators of Verne: Mercier to Metcalfe". ibiblio.org. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b Wills and Probates 1858-1996: Pages for Bell and Year of Death 1933. p. 270. Retrieved 28 February 2020. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Horsfield, Michaela (26 April 2017). "Remembering Rastgarth House, the unique home of artist Arthur Bell". Daily Echo. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  4. ^ A. & C. Black Ltd. (1967). "Bell, Nancy R. E.". Who Was Who: Volume III: 1929-1940 (2nd ed.). London: Adam and Charles Black. p. 92. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  5. ^ "The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler: Nancy Regina Emily Bell, 1844-1933". University of Glasgow: College of Arts: School of Culture and Creative Arts. 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  6. ^ Art UK. "Works by Arthur George Bell in public collections in the UK". Art UK. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  7. ^ Verne, Jules; D'Anvers, N. (29 May 1874). The fur country; or, Seventy degrees north latitude. J.R. Osgood – via Hathi Trust.
  8. ^ D'Anvers, N. (29 May 2019). The skirts of the great city. Methuen – via Hathi Trust.

External links edit

  •   Works related to Author:Nancy Regina Emily Meugens Bell at Wikisource
  • Works by Nancy Bell at Project Gutenberg
  • Works by Nancy Bell on the Internet Archive
  • Full view works by Nancy Bell on the Hathi Trust website.
  • Works by Arthur George Bell in public collections in the UK (ArtUK).

December 15, 2023
nancy, bell, author, canadian, politician, nancy, bell, nancy, bellborn, 1844, september, 1844lambeth, surrey, englanddied30, august, 1933, 1933, aged, keynsham, somerset, englandnationalitybritishother, namesmrs, arthur, bell, anversoccupation, writer, transl. For the Canadian politician see Nancy Bell Nancy BellBorn 1844 09 02 2 September 1844Lambeth Surrey EnglandDied30 August 1933 1933 08 30 aged 88 Keynsham Somerset EnglandNationalityBritishOther namesMrs Arthur Bell N D AnversOccupation s Writer and TranslatorYears active1874 1920Known forTranslating Jules VerneNotable workThe Elementary History of ArtNancy Regina Emily Meugens Bell 2 September 1844 30 August 1933 1 2 was a prolific British translator and author of partial Belgian descent Contents 1 Home life 2 Work 3 Death 4 Selected publications 5 References 6 External linksHome life editBell was born to Peter Joseph Meugens 1808 1886 and Elizabeth Caroling Bennet 1807 1845 Peter Joseph had been born in Antwerp and became a naturalised British subject He variously gave his occupation on census returns and birth registration forms as colonial broker or merchant Bell s mother died before she was a year old and her father quickly remarried to Emily Wallis 1821 1883 before Bell was two years old Bell was living with her father and stepmother in Wandsworth at the time of the 1871 census She was already writing translations with her first major work published in 1873 By 3 April 1881 census night Bell was boarding at 61 Elsham Road Kensington London and described herself as an authoress and teacher on the census return In 1882 she married the landscape painter Arthur George Bell 21 February 1849 24 September 1916 The couple had three children two boys and one girl the youngest These were Kenneth Normal Bell 1884 1951 Eric Arthur Bell 1885 1912 Irene Agnes Bell 1887 1946 The family lived in Southend on Sea on 5 April 1891 and described themselves as authoress Nancy and artist Arthur on the census return In 1891 they moved to Southbourne Dorset near Bournemouth where they stayed in two different houses before moving to Rasgarth a house which Arthur Bell had designed and built with a good eye to natural light The Bournemouth Graphic described it in 1903 as an ideal painter s home 3 The Bells were still there in 1901 but the 1911 Census found them at St Georges Queens Road Richmond Surrey They still kept the house in Bournemouth as it was here on 24 September 1919 that Arthur dies suddenly from a heart attack Bell held an exhibition of her husband s work in Rasgarth in 1920 to raise funds for the blind Work editBell produced a surprisingly large volume of work while active The list below only gives a small flavour of her output She used the pseudonym Nancy D Anvers or N D Anvers Nancy of Antwerp until her marriage after which she wrote as Mrs Arthur Bell Her first major work was a translation of Jules Verne s Les pays des fourrers The original work had been published in France on 19 June 1873 and Bell had finished her translation by October with Sampson Low publishing The Fur Country in November in time for the Christmas market This was only the first of her three Jules Verne translations She may have contributed to a fourth translation of Around the World in 80 Days but the extent of her input is uncertain 1 She continued to work until 1920 producing translations and religious travel and art history books until about 1920 She was an ardent Catholic and produced several hagiographies 1 She also wrote some books for children including Nanny Pixie Dobbie Red Jem Pierre A Tale of Normandy Hindu Tales etc 4 In 1902 the publisher George Bell amp Sons contracted her to write a biography of James McNeill Whistler Whistler was appalled and there is a long correspondence of 24 letters in which Bell tried to get Whistler to agree to photographs of his paintings being used in the book The book was only published in 1904 after Whistler s death and the letters form part of the Whistler collection at the University of Glasgow 5 Many of Bell s books were illustrated by her husband Arthur and the lithographs form an important example of his work Sixteen of his paintings are in public collections in the UK 6 Death editBell was living at Burlington House near Bristol when she died on 30 August 1933 Her will was administered by her son Kenneth who was by then a Fellow Of Balliol College in Oxford Bell s estate was worth 1 536 1s 2 She was survived by her son Kenneth and her daughter Irene Selected publications editAn Elementary History of Art 1874 2nd ed 1882 1889 edition Jules Verne The Fur Country or Seventy degrees North latitude 1874 7 Raphael 1879 Venezia 1894 translated Among the Women of the Sahara 1900 translated Lives and Legends of the Evangelists Apostles and other early Saints 1901 Lives and Legends of the English Bishops and Kings Mediaeval Monks and other later Saints 1904 Paolo Veronese 1904 Nuremberg 1905 Tintoretto 1905 The Royal Manor of Richmond with Petersham Ham and Kew 1907 The Historical Outskirts of London 1907 The Skirts of the Great City 1908 8 Mantegna 1911 Architecture 1914 Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit 1919 edited Jules Verne The Blockade RunnersReferences edit a b c Wolcott Norman 1 March 2005 Jules Verne Mondial The Victorian Translators of Verne Mercier to Metcalfe ibiblio org Retrieved 27 February 2020 a b Wills and Probates 1858 1996 Pages for Bell and Year of Death 1933 p 270 Retrieved 28 February 2020 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help Horsfield Michaela 26 April 2017 Remembering Rastgarth House the unique home of artist Arthur Bell Daily Echo Retrieved 28 February 2020 A amp C Black Ltd 1967 Bell Nancy R E Who Was Who Volume III 1929 1940 2nd ed London Adam and Charles Black p 92 Retrieved 28 February 2020 The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler Nancy Regina Emily Bell 1844 1933 University of Glasgow College of Arts School of Culture and Creative Arts 2005 Retrieved 28 February 2020 Art UK Works by Arthur George Bell in public collections in the UK Art UK Retrieved 28 February 2020 Verne Jules D Anvers N 29 May 1874 The fur country or Seventy degrees north latitude J R Osgood via Hathi Trust D Anvers N 29 May 2019 The skirts of the great city Methuen via Hathi Trust External links edit nbsp Works related to Author Nancy Regina Emily Meugens Bell at Wikisource Works by Nancy Bell at Project Gutenberg Works by Nancy Bell on the Internet Archive Full view works by Nancy Bell on the Hathi Trust website Works by Arthur George Bell in public collections in the UK ArtUK Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nancy Bell author amp oldid 1171419928, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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