Monument to the Memory of George Eliot

The Autobiography is the personal journal of an independent Victorian woman who describes her day-to-day activities as a businesswoman social reformer scholar and journalist; makes many insightful observations on gender issues; and provides intriguing details of her relationships with many of the leading political and literary figures of her day particularly the novelist George Eliot whom she admired as a writer and as a person<br> During the journal years 1876-1900 Simcox made many significant contributions toward improving people's lives but she was always particularly concerned with women's issues. With her friend Mary Hamilton she established a shirtmaking cooperative to provide employment for women kept the accounts and managed the enterprise. She helped establish trade unions and promote women's suffrage served as a delegate to the Trade Union Congress and worked closely with Emma Paterson Annie Besant Harriet Law Charles Bradlaugh and William Morris. Simcox was also the author of three books and a regular contributor to leading periodicals<br>The Autobiography reveals Simcox's childhood her attitudes toward men and marriage and her relationships with her mother and her two older brothers both noted writers. The journal provides unique insights into the mind of a remarkable 19th-century woman who worked in and left her mark on a man's world. Her book is a fascinating source of facts observations and opinions for scholars and readers interested in Eliot Victorian literature and society gender and women's issues.