Girlhood in Eighteenth-Century Britain

Deborah Simonton is Associate Professor of British History, emerita, University of Southern Denmark; Visiting Professor, University of Turku; and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She is co-editor of the Routledge History of Loneliness (2023), and author of Gender in the European Town (2023).

• Introduction 1. Defining Girlhood 2. The Child 3. Upbringing and Ideology 4. Schooling the Girls 5. Training the Girls 6. Making a Living 7. Money 8. Social Life, Sociability and Associations 9. Love, Courtship and Intimacy 10. When Things Go Wrong 11. Dealing with Misfortune. Final Thoughts

‘A one-stop shop for students and scholars of the eighteenth century interested in the history of girlhood.’Elaine Chalus, University of Liverpool‘Deborah Simonton draws on her extensive research in lesser known archives to offer a comprehensive overview of a life-stage which is often overlooked. The wealth of material makes it a valuable resource for both students and educators.’Alison Duncan, freelance historian‘[This book] provides a comprehensive and current overview of the experience of girlhood in eighteenth-century Europe. A must read for students and scholars of early modern social history.’Katie Barclay, Macquarie University'...The richness of the cases and the sources make for engaging reading and new understandings of the experiences of growing up female among the less privileged class of Great Britain at the dawn of the modern era.'Mary Jo Maynes, University of Minnesota, History of Education