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.
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 Gallery, London
The large shift in Stretton's life, which helped kick-start her successful and long career, was in September 1863 when Sarah and her sister Elizabeth moved to Manchester. It was in Manchester where Stretton's career with the Religious Tract Society began with the publication of Jessica's First Prayer in the Sunday at Home, July 1866. The Religious Tract Society was the name of the British publishing house which offered Christian literature. Stretton's work not only conveyed strong religious messages, but also showed the hardships of the poverty and slum life that many children were enduring in a realistic manner, along with other social issues.
Hesba Stretton was not only an author. She became an advocate for the protection of children, many of whom were facing the cruel hardships of poverty and slum life. The concern that Stretton had for these children was not only portrayed through her stories. She actively tried to help to change their situations. In January 1884, in a letter to The Times, Stretton expressed the need for a society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. In addition, she praises the society in Liverpool, which focuses on protection for children and the prevention of abuse, and expresses the belief that this society should be a national one. In three letters from January to June in 1884, Stretton expresses the belief that this society should be a national one. In three letters from January to June in 1884, Stretton expressed the urgent need for the protection that the vulnerable children, on the streets up and down the country, required.
These letters can be viewed at the Shropshire Archives.
It was the persistence of Hesba Stretton and other like-minded, strong-willed people that led to a London society forming in 1884, and a National Society forming in 1889. Even upon retiring to Surrey in 1892, with her sister Elizabeth, Sarah Smith continued to help as much as she could by forming the Popular Book Club. The aim of this club was to disseminate books to members of the working class.
Sarah smith died on the 8th October 1911, with the Sunday at Home obituary praising her life as being 'long, happy, useful and noble'.
Adeana Edwards (English undergraduate student, UCS)
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