My Bluestockings

The Bluestockings, a pejorative name for an informal woman’s literary “club” that flourished in the second half of eighteenth century London, was named after Benjamin Stillingfleet’s blue worsted stockings: he was too poor to afford the customary black silk stocking suitable for evening wear. Run by educated, intellectual, conservative women who tried to raise the moral, intellectual, and cultural standards of their time, this group of friends took turns hosting evening’s entertainment where the literary figures of London took the spotlight. Women were often the majority of the guests, and the subject of the evening was often a learned women from the past or the present. Eventually similar ladies’ groups who patterned themselves after the Bluestockings sprung up all over London then all over England.

These upper-middle class women scorned female “accomplishments,” card playing, and frivolous behavior, preferring instead a life of moral and intellectual rigor and philanthropic activities. These women did not pen great tracts railing about the failings of men. They did claim the right to act in the semi-public sphere and they urged women to become involved in philanthropic activities which benefited other women. Following their own advice, they created a number of philanthropic institutions whose aim was to help women, often poor widowed women with children, become economically self-sufficient. source

Before Darryl took sick again, eighteen months ago, I hosted a Salon in my home on the last Sunday of each month. It was a wonderful gathering of like minded women. Everyone bought a plate of food to share and apart from some shared projects that I led we shared our creative endeavours. The diversity was just wonderful and each of us were infused for the next month. I have so many happy memories of those Sundays and plan to establish another monthly gathering in a month or so. I feel compelled to bring life in to this house and this feels like the right way to do it.

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