Books

by Elizabeth Oakley

Clemence was a younger sister of A.E. Housman, classicist and poet. When, aged 22, she left her comfortable middle-class Worcestershire home to go to London to look after her rebellious, artistic younger brother, Laurence, it was a slightly shocking thing to do. From then on, devoted to each other, their lives and creative careers were always interlinked.

Clemence became a skilled wood engraver who illustrated her own and Laurence’s novels. Laurence became known for his several series of plays, especially Victoria Regina, most of which were not allowed public performance by the Censor. Together they took a full part in the battle for women’s suffrage, during which, to her gratification, Clemence was imprisoned. When the suffrage movement came to a standstill during World War One, Laurence turned his energies to pacifism.

This is the first published study of this unusual couple.