Neglected Nineteenth Century Novels - Phoebe Junior by Mrs Oliphant

Margaret Oliphant Oliphant (so good they named her twice) (1828 – 1897) was a highly prolific Scottish novelist, biographer, historian, and periodical writer of the Victorian era. Born Margaret Oliphant Wilson in Wallyford, near Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland, she was the youngest surviving child (and only daughter) of Francis W. Wilson, a clerk, and Margaret Oliphant. She spent her childhood in Lasswade, Glasgow, and (from 1838) Liverpool, while retaining a strong sense of Scottish identity.

In May 1852 she married her cousin, the stained-glass artist Francis (Frank) Wilson Oliphant. They settled in London and had six children, three of whom died in infancy. Frank died of consumption in Rome in 1859. Oliphant returned to Britain as a widow with three young children and significant debts, becoming the sole breadwinner. She later also supported her alcoholic brother Willie and, after her brother Frank’s financial ruin, took in him and his children.

Her daughter Maggie died in Rome in 1864. From 1866 she lived mainly in Windsor (near Eton, where her sons attended school). Her surviving sons, Cyril (“Tiddy”) and Francis (“Cecco”), both predeceased her (in 1890 and 1894). These repeated losses deeply affected her. She died in Wimbledon on 20 June 1897 and was buried in Eton beside her sons.

Her writing is marked by sharp social observation, irony, psychological insight (especially into domestic and clerical life), and attention to gender and class. Though hugely popular in her lifetime (and reportedly a favourite of Queen Victoria), her reputation declined in the 20th century partly due to the sheer volume of her output. Interest has revived in recent decades for her realism, her strong female characters, and her engagement with Victorian social issues.

Her most famous works are the popular Chronicles of Carlingford series, often compared to Anthony Trollope’s Barsetshire novels for their depiction of provincial English life, clerical politics, and social observation. Of these my favourite is Phoebe Junior (1876).

There are two factions in Carlingford the Churchgoers (established church, posh, professional and upper middle class) and the chapelgoers (dissenters, tradesmen and working classes). The distinction is one of class and religion. Some of the tradesmen are a good deal more wealthy than the middle classes. The story revolves around the unlikely friendship between two young girls. Phoebe Junior is the grand-daughter of the local butter merchant (rich but uncouth), Ursula is the daughter of the perpetual curate (refined, learned and perpetually in debt). Phoebe has been brought up a lady, but struggles because of her association with her lower class uncouth grandparents. Ursula struggles to manage the household (her mother is dead) on little or no money. Into the town come two wealthy dissenters Clarence Copperhead (big and rather stupid son of a very rich railway contractor who started as a humble stonemason) and Horace Northcote a dissenting preacher. They form a little group that crosses the divide between the religious communities. But disaster looms for Ursula and her father and only Phoebe can save her. But will she?

I feel a lot of affinity to the useless Clarence, not only does he play the violin as badly as I do, but my great great grandfather started as a humble stonemason and became a wealthy railway contractor.

In this picture the young people entertain themselves after dinner. Phoebe on the piano and Clarence on the violin, Ursula and Horace on the sofa.