The Streatham Society
  • Home
  • Blogs & Posts
  • Events
  • Newsletters
  • Publications
  • Donations
  • Membership
  • Events
  • Guided Walks
  • Virtual Self Guided Walks
  • Photo Gallery
  • Research and Queries
  • Planning and Regeneration
  • Heritage and Conservation
  • WW1 Roll Of Honour
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Instagram posts
  • Archive News
  • Members' Page

Eliza Brightwen [née Elder], naturalist and writer

30/10/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
Eliza Brightwen [née Elder], (1830–1906), naturalist and writer, was born On This Day 30 October 1830 at Banff, Scotland, the fourth child of George and Margaret Elder. Following the death of her mother in 1837 she was adopted by her uncle, Alexander Elder, one of the founders of the publishing house of Smith, Elder & Co.

He had no children, and Eliza Elder was brought up in his country houses, Sparrow Hall, Streatham, and Thornbury Park, near Stamford Hill. On 5 June 1855 she married George Brightwen (1820–1883), a businessman. They settled in Stanmore, Middlesex, where Eliza Brightwen lived for the remainder of her life.

From childhood on Elder had a deep interest in natural history, a pursuit that she was well able to exercise during her childhood, roaming the grounds of her uncle's estates and reading from among the thousands of books in his library. As she said of herself, 'the early lessons of Natural History kept me constantly wondering and asking “the reason why”'

Eliza Brightwen believed in educating the public about animal preservation. She opposed falconry, she wrote pamphlets and essays deploring the use of feathers for the trimming of human clothing, she rescued animals, and she lectured in local schools about bird trapping and the destruction of nestlings.
​
Many of the photographs used to illustrate Eliza Brightwen's books were taken by her coachman James Leversuch, James and his family lived over the coach house/stables
(Barbara T Gates)
Picture
Picture
Picture
2 Comments
Kathy Rees link
15/4/2024 06:57:00 am

Could you please tell me which of the two young women -left or right - in the photograph is Eliza Brightwen?

Reply
Mark Bery
15/4/2024 10:04:13 am

Sorry, I am afraid I do not know

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark Bery, Secretary Streatham Society

    Archives

    May 2025
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020

Next Meeting





Our next event is a  a talk on the 3rd June 2025 by Sam Cullen, The Lost Pubs of South London.

​This follows our AGM at 6:30pm










​

Social media & email

Picture