Anne Manning

  Noted events in her life were:

• source. Mary-Ann Cook who writes:
Anne Manning, miscellaneous writer, eldest child of William Oke Manning, insurance broker of Lloyd`s, London, and granddaughter of James Manning, unitarian minister of Exeter, was born in London on 17 February 1807. Her mother was Joan Whatmore, daughter of Frederick Gibson, principal surveyor of the London Docks, cousin, ward, and heir-at-law of Charles Lamb`s `most consistent living model of modern politeness,` Joseph Paice (Essays of Elia: Modern Gallantry). William Oke Manning was her brother; James Manning, serjeant-at-law, her uncle; Sir William Montague Manning, attorney-general, and judge of the supreme court of New South Wales, joint author of Neville and Manning`s Reports in Courto of Queen`s Bench, 3 vol., 1834, was her first cousin.
Anne was educated by her mother, an accomplished scholar. The associations of Old Chelsea, whither the family removed from Brunswick Square when she was eight, aroused her interest in history. She acquired a knowledge of several foreigh languages, had a taste for science, and obtained a gold medal of the Royal Academy of Arts for a copy of Murillo`s Flower Girl. The Mannings moved into John Galt`s house when he left Chelsea.
Her first book, A Sister`s Gift: Conversations on Sacred Subjects, London, 1826, 12mo, written for her brothers and sisters whom she taught, and published on her own account, realised a profit of 60l. The next, Stories for the History of Italy, London, 1831, 8vo, was the only one published under her own name. Village Belles, her first story (3 vols., 1838, 8 vol; 2nd edit. 1859), was written at Norbury Priory, near Mickleham, which was the Manning`s home for seven years.
The Maiden and Married of Life of Mistress Mary Powell, afterwards Mistress Milton, told in diary form, first appeared in Sharpe`s Magazine in 1849, and brought Miss Manning considerable notice. She was known thenceforward as `the author of Mary Powell.` The tale was reprinted 1849, 1855 (3rd edit.), 1866, 1874, and with a sequal, Deborah`s Diary, 1859 and 1860. Even more successful was The Household of Sir Thomas More, which appeared in the same magazine, and was republished 1860, 1870, and 1887. Of both these stories (of which French and German translations also appeared), and of Cherry and Violet, a Tale of the Plague, handsome editions, illustrated by Messrs. Jellicoe and Railton, and with introductions by the Rev. W. H. Hutton, were issued 1897, 1895, and 1896 respectively. An attack was made (Fraser`s Magazine, vol. lii., July 1855, p. 104) upon them as `spurious antiques,` and the public was seriously warned not to accept them as authentic diaries. Both Archbishop Tait and Cardinal Manning spoke in high terms of their historical accuracy.
About 1850 Miss Manning settled at Reigate Hill, and remained there until near her death at her sister`s house at Tunbridge Wells on 14 September 1879.