Nearly 140 years ago this month a pioneering woman in the world of politics and sexual freedom, who spent much of her early life in Horsham, passed away.
Eliza Cook lived with her ten brothers and sisters and parents in a farm in St Leonard’s Forest and was encouraged by her mother to take up poetry.
In her teenage years, despite being virtually self-taught, she had her work published.
It appeared in various journals and proved popular. Her poems included elements of pushing for social reform and, indeed, she took an interest in the Chartist movement.
From 1849 Eliza wrote, edited and published the weekly Eliza Cook’s Journal which was described as a superior periodical among the many available at the time.
However, the public interest couldn’t be sustained and she ceased producing it in 1854.
More poetry followed, with stronger political messages, pushing for the ban on child labour and more social and political freedom for women.
Eliza became a close friend of the American actress Charlotte Cushman and, on occasion, both women wore the same dresses to symbolise their closeness.
By the 1860s, however, Eliza was struggling with her health and was only able to write a few verses.
She moved to Wimbledon and it was there she died on September 23, in 1889.
Horsham Museum & Art Gallery has a collection of the Eliza Cook’s Journals in its archive, along with her book Diamond Dust.
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