Person    | Female  Born 22/3/1808  Died 15/6/1877

Caroline Norton

Categories: Gender Issues, Law

Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton, Lady Stirling-Maxwell, was an active English social reformer and author. She left her husband in 1836. He sued her close friend Lord Melbourne, then the Prime Minister, for adultery. The jury threw out the claim, but she failed to gain a divorce and was denied access to her three sons. Norton's campaigning changed important laws affecting the rights of women in relation to property, marriage and access to their children.

Born in London, grand-daughter to Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Married George Norton in 1827, going on to have three sons with him.

"George was a jealous and possessive husband given to violent fits of drunkenness. The union quickly proved unhappy due to his mental and physical abuse. To make matters worse, George was unsuccessful as a barrister and the couple fought bitterly over money."

Caroline left her husband. He refused to support her and denied her access to her earnings (from writing). He abducted the 3 boys and refused to allow her to see them. He accused Caroline of having an affair with Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister (who, to be fair, was a close friend so the accusation was not as mad as it sounds). Failing in his attempt to blackmail Melbourne he took him to court, and lost. He refused to grant Caroline a divorce. All of this he could do because the law allowed it.

Norton's campaigning led to the passage of the Custody of Infants Act 1839, the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 and the Married Women's Property Act 1870.

Surprisingly, Norton did not go on to support the campaign for other women's rights, such as suffrage.

In the 1840s she possibly had a 5-year affair with Sidney Herbert. Caroline was finally freed when George died in 1875. She remarried in 1877 but died in London just three months later.

Our information is mainly from Wikipedia

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Caroline Norton

Commemorated ati

Caroline Norton

Unveiled by Lady Antonia Fraser.

Read More

Other Subjects

Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman

Artist, film director, stage designer, writer, gardener, and queer activist. Born as Michael Derek Elworthy Jarman in Northwood. Had a studio at Butler's Wharf in the 1970s. Died of an AIDS-related...

Person, Art, Cinema, Gender Issues, Seriously Famous

1 memorial
Endell Street Military Hospital

Endell Street Military Hospital

Established in the disused St Giles workhouse buildings during WW1 under the command of Dr Flora Murray & Dr Louisa Garrett Anderson (both suffragettes), this 573-bed hospital is the only Briti...

Building, Gender Issues, Medicine

1 memorial
Association of Women Pharmacists

Association of Women Pharmacists

The Pharmaceutical Journal has "a short history of pharmacy and women".

Group, Gender Issues, Medicine

1 memorial
Christabel Pankhurst

Christabel Pankhurst

Suffragette. Born Manchester, daughter of Emmeline, her eldest child and her favourite. Moved to America in 1939 and died in California.

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, USA

6 memorials
Lady Mary Coke

Lady Mary Coke

Letter writer and noblewoman. Born Lady Mary Campbell at either Sudbrook, Surrey or 27 Bruton Street, London. After a strained courtship, she married Edward, Viscount Coke in 1747. He retaliated by...

Person, Gender Issues

1 memorial