Martha Yeardley (née Savory, March 8, 1781 – May 8, 1851) was an English poet, Quaker minister, and author of educational works and travel literature.
Life Martha Savory Yeardley was born in London on 8 March 1781 to Anna and Joseph Savory, the latter a Quaker goldsmith. She had two sisters and a brother, and three half-sisters from her father's second marriage to Mary Pryor after the death of Anna Savory in or around 1785. At one point, she and her siblings lived in Pentonville across the road from Charles Lamb. She was educated "at Frenchay"Boase, Frederic. Modern English Biography: Containing Many Thousand Concise Memoirs of Persons who have Died Since the Year 1850, with an Index of the Most Interesting Matter. Volume 3. Netherton & Worth, 190, p. 1560. (Extext, Google) where many Quaker merchants were established. Her family's financial resources have been described as "ample."Society of Friends, Biographical Catalogue: Being an Account of the Lives of Friends and Others. London: Friends' Institute, 1888, p. 743. (Etext, Google) She published her first work, Inspiration, a Poetical Essay, in 1805, followed by two other poetry collections before the end of the decade. She became committed to Quaker ministry and undertook "gospel tours" in Europe. In 1824 on one such tour she met her future husband, John Yeardley (1786-1858), and married him in 1826. Over the twenty-five years of their partnership, the couple made five further tours (1827-28, 1828-33, 1833-34, 1842-43, and 1843-50). During the fourth tour, Yeardley established a school for girls in Corfu. Yeardley continued to publish poetry, as well as various works co-authored with her husband,Colbert, Benjamin. "Martha Yeardley." British Travel Writing. University of Wolverhampton. Accessed 2023-06-07. often with William Darton, a Quaker publisher particularly known for children's titles."William Darton," British Museum. Accessed 2023-06-08. In addition to these substantive publications, the Yeardley's co-authored a series of fourteen tracts for use in their missionary work.Smith, Joseph. A Descriptive Catalogue of Friends' Books: Or Books Written by Members of the Society of Friends. 1867, pp. 969-971. ([Etext], Google) Martha Yeardley was the "driving force of the [couple's] literary partnership," according to one commentator.Colbert, Benjamin. "John Yeardley." British Travel Writing. University of Wolverhampton. Accessed 2023-06-08. "Worn out with travel,"Robinson, William, editor. Friends of a Half Century: Fifty Memorials with Portraits of Members of the Society of Friends, 1840-1890. London: Edward Hicks, 1891, p. 329. (Etext, Google) she died on 8 May, 1851.The Annual Monitor for 1852. Or Obituary of Members of the Society of Friends in Great Britain and Ireland for the year 1851. York: George Hope, 1851, p. 102. (Etext, Google)
Works Savory, Martha. Inspiration, a Poetical Essay. London: J. and A. Arch, 1805. Savory, M. Poetical Tales, Founded on Facts. London: Darton Harvey, 1808. Reissued by James Goodwin as Pathetic Tales by "Mrs. Smith" in 1813 after Yeardley sought to suppress it. Cushing, William. Initials and pseudonyms; a dictionary of literary disguises. New York: T. Y. Crowell & Co., 1885, p. 269. (Etext, Internet Archive) Savory, Mrs. Life's Vicissitudes, or, winter's tears. Original poems. London: G. Robinson for the author, 1809. Savory, Martha. An Original Wreath of Forget-me-not. Presented to Those who Love to Reflect on Heavenly Things. Published for the benefit of the Infant School at Burton. London/York: Harvey and Darton, Edmund Fry/William Alexander, 1829. (U.S. edition, 1829; 2nd UK edition, 1830; reissued by Jane Trathan, Falmouth, in 1835.) Anon. Christian Faith and Benevolence Exemplified, in an institution for poor children, at Locle, in Switzerland, wherein labour is combined with education. London: Harvey and Darton, 1829. Yeardley, M. Questions on the Gospels. London: Darton and Harvey, ca. 1835.Darton, Lawrence. The Dartons: an annotated check-list of children's books issued by two publishing houses, 1787-1876. London: British Library; New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2004. (Etext, Internet Archive) Yeardley, J. and M. A Brief Memoir of Mary Ann Calame, with some account of the Institution at Locle, Switzerland. London: Darton and Harvey, 1835. Extracts from the Letters of John and Martha Yeardley, Whilst on a Religious Visit to Some Parts of the Continent of Europe, the Ionian Isles, &c. Lindfield: W. Eade, at the Schools of Industry, 1835.Yeardley, John, Yeardley, Martha. Extracts from the Letters of John and Martha Yeardley, Whilst on a Religious Visit to Some Parts of the Continent of Europe, the Ionian Isles, &c. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 15174. Accessed 2023-06-07. Yeardley, M. Conversations between a Governess and her Pupils. Elicited by Scriptural Readings, Designed for Young Persons. London: Darton and Clark, ca. 1838. Yeardley, M. True Tales from Foreign Lands. In Verse. Designed for the Young. London/York: Darton and Clark, E. Fry/W. Hipsley, ca. 1835.Jackson, J. R. de J. Romantic poetry by women: a bibliography, 1770-1835. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. (Etext, Internet Archive) Yeardley, J., and M. Yeardley. Eastern Customs; Illustrative of Scripture Passages: with Some Observations on the Character, Manners, &c. of the Greeks. London: Harvey and Darton, 1842. M. Y. Poetical Sketches of Scripture Characters, London, 1848. The manuscript diary of their Greek journey was, in 1900, held at Devonshire House.
Etexts Poetical Tales founded on Facts, 1808. (Etext, Google) Extracts from the Letters of John and Martha Yeardley, 1835. (Etext, Internet Archive) Eastern Customs; Illustrative of Scripture Passages, 1842. (Etext, Google)
Notes and references
Notes
References Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel. Ed. Charles Tylor. Philadelphia: Henry Longstreeth, 1860. (Etext, Project Gutenberg) Biography in Dictionary of National Biography
External links