Clemence Housman

Born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, on 23 November 1861, Clemence Annie Housman grew up in a family that produced several notable literary figures, including her brothers A. E. Housman and Laurence Housman. She trained as an artist and worked as a wood engraver and illustrator before building a reputation as a writer.

Her best-known book is The Were-Wolf (1896), a dark and memorable novella that helped secure her place in late Victorian fantasy and Gothic literature. Alongside her writing, she was deeply involved in the campaign for women’s suffrage and worked with her brother Laurence in activist circles, bringing her artistic skill to the movement as well as her quiet determination.

Housman lived a long life that stretched from the Victorian period well into the 20th century, dying on 6 December 1955. Today she is remembered not only for her strange, atmospheric fiction, but also for the way she combined creative work with a serious commitment to social change.