author
Frances Martin
A Victorian writer and educator, she used books and teaching to widen opportunities for women and blind readers. Her life’s work was closely tied to the growth of women’s education in London.
1 Audiobook
Elizabeth Gilbert and Her Work for the Blind
by Frances Martin
About the author
Born in Richmond in 1829, Frances Martin was one of the early students at Queen’s College, Harley Street, a pioneering institution for women’s education. She later became superintendent of Bedford College School, where she earned a reputation as an inspiring teacher and a serious advocate for girls’ learning.
Martin’s writing grew out of the same social concerns that shaped her educational work. She edited books, contributed periodical pieces, and published works including Angélique Arnauld, Abbess of Port Royal, Michelle and Little Jack, and Elizabeth Gilbert and Her Work for the Blind. She was also active in efforts to support blind workers and readers.
In 1874, after the Working Women’s College became co-educational, she helped found the College for Working Women in London. That institution was later renamed Frances Martin College in her honor, reflecting the lasting mark she made as both an author and an education reformer.