Parkes, Elizabeth "Bessie" Rayner (1829-1924)
Title
Parkes, Elizabeth "Bessie" Rayner (1829-1924)
Description
After George Eliot moved to London to start her career in publishing in 1851, Bessie Parkes formed a close friendship with her that would last until Eliot's death. Parkes was a feminist author, editor, and campaigner who lobbied for better education and employment opportunities for women and with Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon (another close friend of Eliot's), Parkes successfully petitioned for the passing of the Married Women's Property Act of 1870. Parkes claimed she was one of the few friends Eliot informed prior to her momentous trip to Germany with Lewes in 1854, and the two traded letters during the months Eliot was away. Parkes saw little of Eliot in the mid-1850s and on, but they still wrote to each other and spoke of their close friendship; an invitation to Parkes to come for lunch was among Eliot's last letters. At the age of 38, Parkes married a Frenchman named Louis Belloc and moved to Algiers, France with him. The couple had two children before Louis died suddenly in 1872, after only 5 years of marriage. Their children, Marie Belloc Lowndes (1868-1947) and Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953), went on to become renowned writers.
Publisher
George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org
Letters Exchanged
To:
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 January 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, [London, 13 May 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [1 June 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, [London, 4? June? 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [15 June 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Broadstairs, [15 July 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Coventry, 30 October 1852
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [21 December 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [24 February 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [April? 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Coventry, 15 May [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 June 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 12 July 1853
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [30 June 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Tunbridge Wells, 16 July [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, St. Leonard's, [23 August 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 November 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 25 December [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 27 December [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [1 January 1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [21 January 1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 6 February [1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 2 March [1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 21 April [1854]
Joseph Parkes to Bessie Rayner Parkes, ,[July 1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Weimar, 10 September 1854
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Dover, 16 March 1855
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [1 May 1855]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 22 March 1856
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 31 March [1856]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Gorey, 19 July 1857
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 1 September [1857]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, [24 September 1857]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 30 January 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 3 February 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 1 March 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 5 November 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Wandsworth, 19 August 1859
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [June 1862]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 12 May [1863]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 19 May 1863
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 15 November 1863
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [19 November 1863]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 6 February 1864
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [22] April 1864
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 27 March [1865]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 22 June 1865
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [19? May? 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 24 November 1862
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 April 1864]
From:
Bessie Rayner Parkes to Barbara Leigh Smith, 12 February 1853
Bessie Rayner Parkes to GE, Lowestoft, 17 August 1859
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 January 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, [London, 13 May 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [1 June 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, [London, 4? June? 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [15 June 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Broadstairs, [15 July 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Coventry, 30 October 1852
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [21 December 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [24 February 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [April? 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Coventry, 15 May [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 June 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 12 July 1853
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [30 June 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Tunbridge Wells, 16 July [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, St. Leonard's, [23 August 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 November 1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 25 December [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 27 December [1853]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [1 January 1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [21 January 1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 6 February [1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 2 March [1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 21 April [1854]
Joseph Parkes to Bessie Rayner Parkes, ,[July 1854]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Weimar, 10 September 1854
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Dover, 16 March 1855
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [1 May 1855]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 22 March 1856
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 31 March [1856]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Gorey, 19 July 1857
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 1 September [1857]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, [24 September 1857]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 30 January 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 3 February 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 1 March 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Richmond, 5 November 1858
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, Wandsworth, 19 August 1859
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [June 1862]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 12 May [1863]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 19 May 1863
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 15 November 1863
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [19 November 1863]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 6 February 1864
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [22] April 1864
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 27 March [1865]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 22 June 1865
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [19? May? 1852]
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, 24 November 1862
GE to Bessie Rayner Parkes, London, [29 April 1864]
From:
Bessie Rayner Parkes to Barbara Leigh Smith, 12 February 1853
Bessie Rayner Parkes to GE, Lowestoft, 17 August 1859
Image
Citation
Elizabeth "Bessie" Rayner Parkes (1829-1924), Parkes, Elizabeth "Bessie" Rayner (1829-1924), Social Network Gallery, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed November 11, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/97149