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GEORGE ELIOT AND COVENTRY

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George Eliot's links with Coventry

By Lisa Williamson

George Eliot

George Eliot was born Mary Anne Evans on the 22ns November, 1819. She was born on the Arbury Hall estate in Warwickshire and then in 1820 her family moved to a house named Griff, which was partway between Nuneaton and Coventry.

During her early life, Eliot attended 4 boarding schools, with the fourth being Nant Glynn at 29 Warwick Row in Coventry, where she received instruction from Baptist Sisters. This building still exists today, but is now used as an estate agent's office.

Site of Nant Glynn School Warwick Row Coventry

After finishing school Eliot moved to Surrey to study at University but in 1836 her mother died so she moved back to the family estate to act as housekeeper. At the age of 21 in 1840 her brother Isaac married and thereafter took over the family estate, leaving Eliot free to move away, which she did, along with her Father, to the Foleshill area of Coventry.

The move to Coventry introduced Eliot to new society influences, such as the friendship she formed with Charles and Charlotte Bray. Charles Bray had become very successful and wealthy as a ribbon manufacturer and lived at a residence called 'Rosehill' on the Radford Road, which has since been demolished. Through the Brays Eliot met a number of people who influenced her views in terms of religion, liberal theologies and literature.

Not long after meeting the Brays Eliot openly declared that she had lost her religious faith, much to the dismay of her father who threatened to throw her out of their Foleshill home, which has since become known as George Eliot Row. Out of respect for her father, Eliot continued to go to church regularly despite her lost faith, attending Holy Trinity church in the centre of Coventry across from St Michael's Cathedral.


Eliot continued to live in Coventry until her father's death in 1849. After this she moved to Switzerland and then onto London, where she spent the rest of her days as one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She adopted the pen name George Eliot to be taken seriously by publishers and other writers, as female authors of the time were often misrepresented as being romance novelists only.

Many of her writings were influenced by her time spent in Coventry. For example, in 'Adam Bede', Eliot's first published novel, Hetty's trial is undoubtedly set in St Mary's Guildhall. In 'Felix Holt, the Radical' the fictional place of Treby Magna is said to be based on Coventry. One of her most famous novels, 'Middlemarch' is said to be based on 19th century Coventry, with her references to the coming of the railway and the need for a fever hospital relating directly to happenings with the city at that time.

 

 

 

 


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