One of the most prolific Victorian novelists, Anne Manning is little known today. Anne was a descendant of the Wiltshire branch of the Whatmore family. Her father was William Oke Manning and her mother was Joan Gibson.  Ann’s maternal grandparents  were Ann Whatmore and Frederick Gibson.

 Ann was educated by her mother who was an accomplished scholar. The family lived first at Brunswick Square in London and later moved into John Galt’s house when he left Chelsea.

 About 1850 Anne went to live at Reigate Hill. She lived there, never marryinng until her death at her sister’s house at Tunbridge Wells on 14 September 1879. She is buried with her parents at Mickleham near Dorking, Surrey.

 Anne’s first book,  written for her brothers and sisters, was ‘A Sister’s Gift’ which she published privately in 1826 and which made a profit of £60.

 It was the publication in 1849 of ‘The Maiden and Married Life of Mistress Mary Powell and afterwards Mistress Milton’  which brought Anne to the attention of the public. There were numerous reprints and Anne was always described on the title page of her novels as ‘ The author of Mary Powell’

Among Anne’s novels with an historical setting was ‘ The Household of Sir Thomas More’. This was very popular but  was attacked along with her other historical novels as ’spurious antiques’. Nevertheless Anne’s best writing is  in her historical tales of the sixteenth century.

Of particular interest to the Whatmore family are ‘Family Pictures’  and ‘Passages from  an Authoress’s Life’ in which she writes about her great grandfather Edward Whatmore, Squire of Dinton.

Anne’s works do not  seem to be currently in print, although early editions of her novels are available at high prices!

 If you would like to read one of Anne Manning’s novels, you can download and print ‘Jacques Bonneval’ by following this link:  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13896/13896-h/13896-h.htm

Her novel ‘Mary Powell’ can be downloaded here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21431

Sources of information:

‘Wat’s Brother in Law’ Geoffrey Whatmore

‘Dictionary of  National Biography’