Reading Shropshire

Hesba Stretton was pseudonym of Sarah Smith, a writer born in Wellington, Shropshire.  Gaining most of her education through her father's bookshop, Smith began her writing career aged 26.  The unusual pseudonym that she chose for herself, 'Hesba', rather cleverly came from the intitials of her siblings' names.  These were Hannah, Elizabeth, Sarah, Benjamin and Anna.  The last name 'Stretton' was taken from the Shropshire village All Stretton where her sister was left property. Stretton had various pieces of work published in two of Charles Dickens's magazines, Household Words and All the Year Round .  The first was 'The Lucky Leg', which appeared in Household Words on the 19th March, 1859.  This was sent to the magazine without her knowledge by her sister Elizabeth.  After this, although not every piece was published, Dickens did accept many contributions from Stretton between 1859 and 1870. Hesba Stretton (1832-1911) National Portrait Gal...