Love Well The Hour: The Life of Lady Colin Campbell (1857-1911) - Softcover

Anne Jordan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1848766114 ISBN 13: 9781848766112

Publisher: Matador, 2010

Synopsis

Lady Colin Campbell was born Gertrude Elizabeth Blood in May 1857. She enjoyed a liberal upbringing for the day, and developed into an intelligent, artistic and beautiful young woman. In October 1880 she met Lord Colin Campbell, MP and youngest son of the 8th Duke of Argyll. Within three days they were engaged and, despite his family's objections, they married the following year. Gertrude was launched into an elevated social circle where she enjoyed the company of royalty, eminent politicians and famxous names of the day. But all was not well at home, as the couple's incompatibility became glaringly apparent. The marriage broke down and ended up in the dreaded divorce courts. Lord Colin Campbell accused his wife of adultery with four co-respondents and scandalised society with such a suggestion. After the trial, the couple went their separate ways. Gertrude slowly created a new life for herself as a journalist. Although shunned by much of society, her beauty, intelligence and wit were welcome in the more liberal circles of artists and writers. She was a close friend of the artist and dandy Whistler, and knew the Burne-Jones's.George Bernard Shaw listened to her advice on his early work, and remained a life-long friend, and Henry James used to visit her. But she had her enemies. She exchanged insults with Oscar Wilde, and was disliked by the notorious editor and newspaper proprietor Frank Harris. In her articles Gertrude advocated ideas such as bicycle lanes on roads, cremation as an alternative to burial and equal smoking rights for women. When many in her place would have quietly retired to the country, or found refuge in their nerves, she carved herself a career, threw herself into her sports, and created a new life as an independent woman. Yet little is known of her today; the few references cruelly describe her as a "sex goddess" or "houri". Anne Jordan's biography aims to redress the balance and give her life a full and fair hearing. This book tells the story o

About this title

Review:

"An important biography of this historical and colorful figure."
--Bruce Henderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

From the Author:

The title reflects Gertrude's motto, "Love well the hour and let it go" from a poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne, one of her favourite poets.

About this edition

• Publisher: Matador
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1848766114
• ISBN 13: 9781848766112
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 246