Appeal to fix broken grave of female poet hailed by Gladstone Memorial to one of the ‘most important women’s voices of the 19th century’ lies smashed and forgotten in Birmingham
THE family of a Birmingham poet who was acclaimed by William Gladstone as one of the “most important female voices of the 19th century” are raising funds to restore her severely damaged gravestone.
Constance Naden lived from 1858 to 1889 and was the first female Associate at the University of Birmingham.
She is buried at the Key Hill Cemetery in the Jewellery Quarter, although her grave is now just broken fragments.
Dr Clare Stainthorp, who completed a PhD on Constance’s life, has joined together with two of the poet’s descendants to appeal for £4,000 to help fix the gravestone.
“Few people in Birmingham seem to be aware of her, and of her grave’s current state of disrepair,” she said.
“This feels somewhat indicative of the way that she has fallen out of the city’s memory.
“We’re hoping to raise £4,000 to replace the gravestone with a new one that makes legible the original inscription, and also provides some additional information about Naden’s achievements.”
Dr Stainthorp, together with Constance’s great niece Margaret-Mary Hall and great nephew Julian Rees, have established The Constance Naden Trust in a bid to raise awareness of the poet, who lived in Birmingham for most of her life.
Constance studied at the Birmingham and Midland Institute and Mason Science College, which is now the University of Birmingham. She was also a member of the Birmingham Natural History Society.
She studied, wrote and lectured on philosophy and science. Before her interest in science took over, she published two volumes of poetry.
After her death at the age of 31, a number of her collected works were published to much acclaim.
One of her works, called Evolutional Erotics, saw Constance explore the clash between love and the scientific mind, making light of Darwinian natural selection and the realities of love.
After the death of her grandmother, Constance was left with a large fortune. She went on a trip to Constantinople, Palestine, Egypt, and India with a friend. During the trip they raised funding for women to study medicine.
Then Prime Minister William Gladstone praised the poet as one of the most important female voices of the 19th century.
She was lauded for her contributions to poetry and her open support of the fight for women’s suffrage.
Shortly after her death, a bust of Constance was installed at the Mason Science College and the Constance Naden Medal was established in her honour.
But though she was widely praised and celebrated upon her death, Constance’s reputation has been forgotten in recent years.
However, the poet and scientist, who was described as a “pioneer”, finally received public recognition in 2010 when the Birmingham Civic Society unveiled a blue plaque at 20 Charlotte Road, Edgbaston – her grandparents’ house.
Constance lived there from the age of two weeks following the death of her mother.
The unveiling of the plaque was attended by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, who said it was good to see someone so forwardthinking recognised in such a way.
“We are keen to raise the profile of the appeal and share something about this pioneering woman who lived in Birmingham for the majority of her life,” said Dr Stainthorp.
“While she is not a well known figure today, her achievements in poetry, science, and philosophy meant that when she died unexpectedly in 1889 her death was mourned in both the local and the national press.”
Few people in Birmingham seem to be aware of her, and of her grave’s current state of disrepair Dr Clare Stainthorp