Beverley is a town renowned for its historical treasures, from our gothic Beverley Minster to the centuries old hum in Saturday Market. Yet beyond its medieval charm and Georgian elegance lies a legacy that reaches far wider—a connection to Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the world’s earliest and most influential feminist thinkers. For those of us in Beverley, Wollstonecraft is not just a distant historical figure; she’s a part of our town’s story, her formative years here laying the groundwork for ideas that would reshape the world.
“These may be termed utopian dreams. – Thanks to that Being who impressed them on my soul, and gave me sufficient strength of mind to dare to exert my own reason, till, becoming dependent only on him for the support of my virtue, I view, with indignation, the mistaken notions that enslave my sex”
Born in 1759 in Spitalfields, London, Wollstonecraft arrived in Beverley around 1768, aged nine, when her family settled at 2 Highgate—a fine Georgian townhouse still standing today. Whilst her groundbreaking work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), was penned later in London, it was in Beverley that the seeds of her revolutionary thought were planted. Living here until her mid-teens, she encountered a world of stark contrasts—between the limitations imposed on women and the quiet possibilities that hinted at something more.
A Childhood in Beverley: The Making of a Radical Mind
Picture Beverley in the late 18th century: a bustling market town of roughly 5,000 people, its streets filled with the clatter of trade and the rhythm of rural life. Agriculture and commerce thrived, with merchants and farmers shaping a vibrant community. For young Mary, this was a place of observation and awakening. She lived in a society where women were expected to marry, raise children, and tend the home, their intellectual ambitions stifled by tradition. Yet Beverley offered glimpses of something different, sparking the curiosity that would define her life.
One of the most formative influences was her friendship with Jane Arden, daughter of John Arden, a local philosopher and lecturer. The Arden household, a stone’s throw from Highgate, buzzed with Enlightenment ideas—science, philosophy, and politics filled the air. Though Wollstonecraft lacked formal education, she soaked up these discussions, as noted by historian Lyndall Gordon in Vindication: A Life of Mary Wollstonecraft (2005). Gordon writes that Beverley gave her “the first taste of intellectual companionship,” igniting a lifelong belief that women deserved equal access to knowledge. In a town where her brothers could pursue schooling she was denied, these moments were transformative, prompting her to ask: Why not women too?
Beverley’s social landscape also left its mark. As a market town, it depended on women who worked tirelessly—running stalls, managing households, and even leading small enterprises. The Beverley Guardian archives, held at the East Riding Archives, tell of figures like Ann Routh, a widow in the 1770s who supported her family through trade. Such women embodied a quiet strength, navigating a patriarchal world with resilience. Wollstonecraft, ever watchful, likely drew inspiration from these examples of female agency, which stood in contrast to the domestic roles she would later challenge in her writing.
Her family life in Beverley added further depth to her emerging ideas. Her father, Edward John Wollstonecraft, frittered away their modest fortune on ill-fated farming ventures near the town, plunging the household into instability. Biographer Janet Todd, in Mary Wollstonecraft: A Revolutionary Life (2000), highlights how Mary witnessed her mother’s suffering under her father’s volatile temper—a stark lesson in the inequalities of marriage. Beverley became a crucible for her, blending personal struggles with broader social observations into the raw material of her feminist philosophy.
Beverley’s Hidden Influence: A Town of Quiet Subversion
Beverley in the 18th century was no radical hub—no fiery debates echoed through its cobbled streets. Yet its unique character played a vital role in Wollstonecraft’s development. The town’s religious landmarks, St. Mary’s Church and the Minster, preached traditional values, but its economic life told a different story. As detailed in The Agrarian History of England and Wales (Vol. VI, 1989), the East Riding’s rural economy relied heavily on women’s labour—milking cows, tending crops, and selling goods. This practical necessity carved out spaces of independence, however small, that Wollstonecraft could see and ponder.
Her time here was brief, ending in 1774 when the family moved to Hoxton, but those years were formative. Beverley offered a microcosm of the tensions she would later articulate: the clash between what women achieved and what society permitted. It was here, amidst the market bustle and the Arden parlour, that she began to question the status quo—a question that would grow into a clarion call for equality.
Beverley Today: Honouring a Legacy
Today, Beverley embraces Wollstonecraft as a cherished part of its heritage. Her former home at 2 Highgate bears a plaque, drawing visitors keen to trace her roots. St. Mary’s Church, where she may have sat as a child, celebrated her in its 2018 “Extraordinary Women” project, weaving her story into its stained-glass narrative. Local historian Dr. Barbara English, speaking at the Treasure House in 2021, described her as “a beacon of what Beverley can produce: not just wool or ale, but ideas that change the world.” Her presence lingers, a quiet pride for the town.
This connection extends beyond monuments. Beverley’s schools, such as Longcroft and Beverley Grammar, weave her ideas into their teaching, with A-Level students exploring A Vindication alongside local history. The Beverley Women’s Network, founded in 2010, draws on her legacy in its campaigns for equal pay and education—causes she championed over two centuries ago. The Beverley Literature Festival has also spotlighted her, with a 2024 panel titled “Wollstonecraft’s Beverley: The Early Years” delighting local audiences. Her influence is tangible, woven into the fabric of our community.
A Regional Radicalism: Yorkshire’s Quiet Rebels
Wollstonecraft’s Beverley years reflect a broader truth: great ideas can take root in modest places. Yorkshire has long nurtured dissenters—from the Levellers of the 17th century to the suffragettes of Hull in the 20th. Beverley fits this mould, its quiet streets a breeding ground for a mind that would challenge the world. Far from the salons of London or Paris, it was here that Wollstonecraft first glimpsed the possibilities of a different future.
For us in Beverley today, her story resonates. The gender pay gap in the East Riding, pegged at 14% by the Office for National Statistics (2023), and local pushes for better childcare echo the inequalities she decried. Her questions—about education, opportunity, and voice—still matter, urging us to act where we stand, whether in a classroom or a council meeting.
Beverley may not have birthed feminism in a blaze of banners, but it nurtured a girl who dared to ask “Why not?” As we stroll down Highgate or shop at the market, we walk where Mary Wollstonecraft once did—where a revolution in thought began. Her time here is no mere footnote; it’s a vital chapter, a testament to the power of place in shaping bold ideas. Beverley’s link to Wollstonecraft is a legacy to cherish and build upon, a reminder that from our town’s quiet corners, voices can rise to change the world.