Agnes Strickland (1806–1874)

Agnes Strickland was educated by her father, and began her literary career by publishing an historical romance in verse, Worcester Field (before 1833). Then she turned to writing historical tales for children. Her most famous works, still read today, are the Lives of the Queens of England and Lives of the Queens of Scotland, and English Princesses (8 volumes, published 1850–1859), and Letters of Mary Queen of Scots. Miss Strickland wrote picturesque and enthusiastic stories, but her amateur efforts lacked the rigorous standards and impartial objective tone that professional historians -- of her own time as well as today -- require. Most of what she wrote, especially on the Tudor family, is still cited in nonfiction and fictional portrayals of the subjects, despite many of the claims having later been dismissed as fictional speculation. Her shy sister Elizabeth assisted in her historical research but the full credit was given to Agnes. Her two other sisters Catharine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie, who both emigrated to Canada, also became writers.