SHORE WIVES: THE LIVES OF BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS' WIVES AND WIDOWS, 1750-1815

by Smallwood, Amy Lynn

This thesis provides an analysis of the lives of mid- to late-eighteenth century Royal Navy officers?€™ wives and widows, including how they coped with the challenges of being separated from their husbands for extended periods of time. This separation forced them to accept additional financial and management responsibilities. By successfully managing these tasks, they proved that women were capable of managing money, purchasing property, rearing and educating children, working the patronage system, being political activists, dealing with bureaucracy, and networking. Shore wives performed these duties with the very real fear that their husbands might never come home alive. By taking up these burdens, the shore wives allowed their husbands to have successful careers and proved that women, seen by some as ?€?the weaker sex,?€™ were more than capable.