Laura Valentine Explained

Laura Belinda Charlotte Jewry (married name Laura Valentine, pen names Mrs. S. Valentine and Aunt Louisa; 1814–1899), was a Victorian English writer primarily known for her children's literature.^[1] Her work was often produced in children's series including Aunt Louisa's Toy Books, Aunt Louisa’s Big Picture Series, and The Young Folk's Shakespeare Series.^{[2] [3]}

Biography

Laura Belinda Charlotte Jewry was born at the Victory in England. Her father, Admiral Jewry, served in the English navy. At an early age, she connected with the Lord Elphinstone family. She spent her maiden life in India till she married Reverend Richard Valentine, a clergyman of the Church of England. Within 12 months of their marriage, she was widowed.

Her literature often was educational, told of travel, or described the London scene.^{[4] [5]} As an adult novelist, Laura Valentine specialized in florid historical romance. Her main novels were Kirkholme Priory (1847), The Vassal (1850), and the Cup and the Lip (1851). Valentine expressed an expertise in Shakespeare, editing "The Works of William Shakespeare" and creating a number of children's versions of Shakespeare plays including The Merchant of Venice and The Tempest. Professionally, Valentine was one of the chief editors of Frederick Warne & Co and the sole editor of Girl's Home Book and The Chandos Classics. Most of Valentine's work was published through Frederick Warne & Co and T. C. Newby.

Valentine died at the age of 84 still an active writer. She was survived only by her sister Mary Jewry for five or six years.^[6]

Bibliography

• Beatrice; or, Six Years of Childhood and Youth (William Tegg), 1859
• Nelly, the Gypsy Girl (Routledge, Warne & Routledge), 1860
• The Girl's Own Book; by Mrs. Child; a new edition revised by Mrs. R. Valentine (Miss Laura Jewry) 468 pp. (William Tegg), 1863
• The Knights Ransom (Frederick Warne and Co.), 1870
• (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1870
• (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1870^[7]
• (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1870^[8]
• Aunt Louisa's Nursery Favourite, (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1870
• (McLoughlin Brothers), 1870^[9]
• (McLoughlin Brothers), 1872^[10]
• (McLoughlin Bro's), 187?^[11]
• Daring and Doing, A Book for Boys (Frederick Warne and Co.), 1874
• Aunt Louisa's Fairy Legends (McLaughlin Brothers), 1875
• Aunt Louisa's London Gift Book (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1875
• Aunt Louisa's Welcome Gift (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1875
• (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1875^[12]
• Rhymes for the Little Ones (Frederick Warne & Co.), ca. 1880
• Home and Country Pets (Frederick Warne), ca. 1880s
• World-Wide Fables (McLoughlin Brothers), 1880
• Aunt Louisa's Keepsake (Frederick Warne and Co./Scribner, Welford and Co.), ca. 1880
• Aunt Louisa's comicalities (Frederick Warne & Co.), ca. 1880^[13]
• (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1880^[14]
• Aunt Louisa's Stories of Old (Frederick Warne and Co.), ca. 1890
• Aunt Louisa's First Book for Children (Frederick Warne & Co.), 1902 (Illustrated by Louis Wain and others)
• Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers (Frederick Warne and Co.), 1902
• Aunt Louisa's Book of Common Things (F. Warne & Co. Ltd), 1920
• Aunt Louisa's Alphabet book (Frederick Warne and Co.)
• Aunt Louisa's Bible Picture Book
• Aunt Louisa's Golden Gift (Frederick Warne and Co.), 1878
• Aunt Louisa's Oft Told Tales (Mcloughlin Bros.) New York, 1875
• Aunt Louisa's Old Nursery Friends
• Aunt Louisa's Sparkling Gems Mcloughlin Bros., 1866
• Aunt Louisa's Wee, Wee Stories Mcloughlin Bros., New York, 1883
• (Frederick Warne and Co.), 1886?^[15]
• Aunt Louisa's Welcome Visitor comprising New Year's Eve; The kingdom of the greedy; Frisky the Squirrel; Dick Whittington (Frederick Warne and Co.), 187?^[16]
• (Frederick Warne & Co.) ca. 1870^[17]
• Joe and Ned
• Little Peace
• Robinson Crusoe
• Toto

Notes and References

1. "Aunt Louisa's Books", retrieved 16 April 2011.
2. Book: Valentine, Laura (Jewry). The merchant of Venice.... 1882. New York. 2027/loc.ark:/13960/t6446kb6r.
3. Web site: Home games for little girls. ufdc.ufl.edu. 2018-02-11.
4. Book: Sutherland, John. The Longman Companion to Victorian Fiction. 2014-10-13. Routledge. 9781317863335.
5. Norcia. Megan A.. 2012-03-01. 'Come Buy, Come Buy': Christina Rossetti's 'Goblin Market' and the Cries of London. Journal of Victorian Culture. 17. 1. 24–45. 10.1080/13555502.2011.630268. 1355-5502.
6. H.. Peet, Wm.. 1915-10-02. Laura Jewry, afterwards Mrs. R. Valentine. Notes and Queries. s11-XII. 301. 10.1093/nq/s11-XII.301.266. 0029-3970. 31 January 2024.
7. Web site: Sea side. University of Florida Digital Collections.
8. Web site: Aunt Louisa's welcome visitor . University of Florida Digital Collections.
9. Web site: Home games for little girls . University of Florida Digital Collections.
10. Web site: Santa Claus and his works . University of Florida Digital Collections.
11. Web site: Playtime stories . University of Florida Digital Collections.
12. Web site: The Zoological gardens . University of Florida Digital Collections.
13. Web site: Humorous pictures . University of Florida Digital Collections.
14. Web site: Hop O'my Thumb . University of Florida Digital Collections.
15. Web site: Aunt Louisa's welcome guest . University of Florida Digital Collections.
16. Web site: Aunt Louisa's welcome visitor . University of Florida Digital Collections.
17. Web site: Hector the dog . University of Florida Digital Collections.