author
Mrs. Archibald Little
1845–1926
A British travel writer and reformer, she is remembered for vivid books about life in China and for campaigning against foot binding. Her work blends close observation, strong opinions, and a clear desire to make distant worlds feel real to readers at home.
1 Audiobook
Intimate China: The Chinese as I Have Seen Them
by Mrs. Archibald Little
About the author
Born Alicia Ellen Neve Bewicke in 1845, she became widely known as Mrs. Archibald Little after her marriage and built a reputation as a writer with a strong interest in China. She traveled there extensively and wrote popular books that introduced English readers to everyday life, travel, and social customs in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Her writing is often noted for its firsthand detail. Books such as Intimate China drew on her own experiences and helped shape how many British readers imagined the country. She also became known for photographs connected with her travels, especially in western China.
Beyond her travel writing, she was an active campaigner. She supported women's rights and became especially associated with efforts against foot binding in China, helping promote reform at a time when the practice was under growing challenge. She died on July 31, 1926, leaving behind a body of work that is still valued for both its historical interest and its personal voice.