Bodichon, Barbara Leigh Smith (1827-1891)

Title

Bodichon, Barbara Leigh Smith (1827-1891)

Description

George Eliot's closest friend after moving to London, Barbara Bodichon, nee Leigh Smith, was a feminist activist who strove for women’s education and enfranchisement. Bodichon's parents were not married, which isolated Bodichon socially. After Eliot began living unmarried with Lewes, Bodichon became an especially close friend, one who could sympathize with social shunning. Eliot supported Bodichon in many of her political acts, including petitioning parliament to pass a Married Women's Property Bill to protect married women’s earnings. Both women had been involved with the married John Chapman, who attempted to convince Bodichon to have a sexual relationship with him, using Lewes and Eliot’s unsanctioned domestic partnership as a positive example.
In 1857, Bodichon married a French doctor and lived abroad in Algiers half the year. Barbara Bodichon was the first to recognize Eliot's Adam Bede as the work of her friend, which delighted the author. Along with Emily Davies, Bodichon founded Girton College, Cambridge, the first university open to women, which Eliot supported with a modest financial donation. After Bodichon suffered from a stroke in 1877, she left to live in Sussex and the women rarely saw one another after that. Although Bodichon was surprised to read of Eliot's marriage to John Cross, she heartily wished them well. She was one of the last people Eliot wrote to before her death.

Publisher

George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org

Letters Exchanged

To:
Bessie Rayner Parkes to Barbara Leigh Smith, 12 February 1853
GE to Barbara Leigh Smith, London, 29 June [1853]
GE to Barbara Leigh Smith, Ilfracombe, 13 June 1856
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 27 April 1859
GE and GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 5 May 1859
GE and GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [30 June 1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [2 July 1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 23 July 1859
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [Wandsworth], 27 July [1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 11 August [1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Conway, 31 August [1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 17-18 September [1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [1 October 1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [3 October 1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 5 December 1859
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 6 March 1860
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [Wandsworth, 6 March 1860]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 1 July 1860
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [12 August 1860]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [17 August 1860]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [18 August 1860]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [21? August 1860]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, 5 September 1860
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 26 December 1860
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 11 March 1861
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 April 1861
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [22? August 1861]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 30 September 1861
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [28? October 1861]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 15 February 1862
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 11 March 1862
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 26 November 1862
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 12 May 1863
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 19 August 1863
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 4 December 1863
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 4 April 1864
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [19? October 1864]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 10 April 1866
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Bordeaux, [4 January 1867]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Barcelona, 2 February 1867
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 18 March 1867
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 9 May 1867
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 17 June 1867
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [27 July 1867]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [16? November 1867]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Torquay, [28? March 1868]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 25 September 1868
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 16 November 1868
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 12 December 1868
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 5 January 1869
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [12 May 1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [14 May 1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [14 June 1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [17 June 1869]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [6 July 1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 22 October 1869
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 25 November [1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 17 December [1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 21 December [1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [11 February 1870]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Cromer, 23 June 1870
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Limpsfield, 25 August [1870]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 10 October 1870
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [November 1870]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Shottermill, 17 June 1871
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Shottermill, 18 July 1871
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Shottermill, 17 August [1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Shottermill, 20 [August 1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [Shottermill], 28 August [1871]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [12 December 1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Redhill, 4 June 1872
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Redhill, 6 July 1872
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 23 August 1873
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 11 November 1873
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 3? December 1873]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [9] February 1874
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Earlswood Common, 16 July 1874
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Earlswood Common, 23 September 1874
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 26 October 1874
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 16 November 1874
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Rickmansworth, 13 August 1875
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 12 November 1875
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 30 March 1876
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 15 May [1876]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 6 September 1876
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 2 October 1876
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [28 March 1877]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [4 May 1877]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 15 May 1877
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 16 May [1877]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [18 May 1877]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 19 May 1877
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 2 [August] 1877
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 18 October 1877
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 22 November 1877
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [27 November 1877]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 17 January 1878
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [31 January 1878]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 15 March 1878
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [16 May 1878]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 16 August 1878
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 15 October 1878
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 25 November 1878
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 7 January 1879]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 3 February 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 6 February 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 5 March 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 8 April 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 29 April 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 5 May 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 2 July 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, [20? July 1879]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 19 August 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 3 September 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 16 September [1879]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 22 October 1879
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 5 February 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [10 March 1880]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 26 April 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 5 May 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Milan and Verona, 29 May -- 1 June 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 1 August 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 18 August 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 14 September 1880
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 7 November 1880
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Wandsworth, [5 July 1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [Wandsworth, 23? July 1859]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 3? September 1861]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [26 May 1862]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 7 June 1863]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 30 September 1863]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 12 August 1864
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 10 January 1865]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 27 February 1865
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [23 June 1865]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [27 July 1865]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [3 August 1865]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 15 January 1866
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [October? 1867]
Emily Davies to Mme Bodichon, London, 20 November 1867
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [September 1868]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [16 June 1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 2 July [1869]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 11 July 1869
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 30 August 1869
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [10 January 1870]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [16 February 1870]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [8 May 1870]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [21 May 1870]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [15 December 1870]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [19 December 1870]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 6 January 1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 24 January 1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 14 March 1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [24 November 1871]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [26 November 1872]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [March 1873]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [30 March 1873]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 5 March [1874]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, 6 June 1876
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [September 1876]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, [London, 6 February 1877]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [27 February 1878]
GHL to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, London, [5 June 1878]
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 8 July 1878
GE to Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon, Witley, 4 October 1879
John W. Cross to Mme Bodichon, London, 13 January 1881
John W. Cross to Mme Bodichon, London, 9 July 1881

From:
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, Algiers, 26 April [1859]
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, [London, 28 June 1859]
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, London, [30 June - 1 July 1859]
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, Hastings, 8 May [1880]
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, [Algiers, 15? April 1859]
Barbara [Mme Eugene] Bodichon to GE, Hastings, [10? December 1871]

Image

For more information

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp00463/barbara-leigh-smith-bodichon?search=sas&sText=bodichon

Citation

Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon (1827-1891), Bodichon, Barbara Leigh Smith (1827-1891), Social Network Gallery, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed November 11, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/97128