It sounds as though Mary Paley Marshall was, among other things, a living card catalogue for those students! I hope the brown boxes are still consulted occasionally — they are so much more satisfying than digital catalogues which give you hundreds of near misses.
On punctuating names, I was taught either to use full stops between initials or spaces, but not *both*…
Thank you Jeremy & I will have to test out those brown boxes. How interesting about spaces between capitals. I haven't been a CUP editor for a while now, but just looked up the (current) Cambridge uni style guide and it's quite stern about it: 'Use spaces (not full stops) after initials. For example, write Dr M P S Handley.' Not that I feel the need to obey any more...
A footnote to this: I realise that long-term use of Twitter, and its character count, means that on social media at least I now don't use either spaces or stops for initials when taking about e.g. JH Prynne or TS Eliot (though I can't drop the stops from e.g.!)
Ah this is heartening to hear, Jeremy. I was worried that, from being a stickler and style guide fanatic in the past, I had gone too far in the opposite direction…
Well, as someone with an editorial background too, I like consistency, but I also like stylistic flexibility over prescriptive rules so... horses for courses!
Absolutely loved this, Ann. That portrait says everything: strong jaw, large hands, and the eyes that see exactly who you are. The lace scarf. I have my own thoughts about that and do not want to hear otherwise. Side note: my husband was a university librarian and a woodworker. When the old oak card catalogs were being decommissioned, he took several of them home. He made ingenious pieces of furniture from them, using extra card drawers throughout the house. I don’t know what “pre-Raphaelite” sandals are, but I want a pair.
Ha, Mary, you have put your finger on my own vagueness about such footwear. I tried to imagine what Jane Morris and others might in paintings, but perhaps they were too flimsy. I sense Mary was pretty practical as well as bohemian! Will keep an eye out for details about that lace shawl... and I loved hearing about your husband's turning those drawers into much loved furniture. I am awed by his talents.
Thanks for the article on Paley Marshall - very interesting! Great that you will discuss von Arnim, The Enchanted April. The new edition of the book is edited by Isobel Maddison, Emeritus Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College and published by Oxford World’s Classics. It is worth getting this edition which has scholarly footnotes and a very readable and informative introduction. Might I mention that Isobel will co-teach a course on von Arnim for us at Literature Cambridge - EvA: Men, Women and Dogs, Oct-Dec. 2025. https://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/von-arnim-2025
Thank you Trudi, and I will indeed recommend that edition - I know it well, and am in huge admiration of Isobel's work. Her intro really puts the novel into context. I'll definitely flag up that course too, love the theme of dogs in literature!
Lovely piece. I'm always intrigued by Mary's relationships with her husband, Alfred Marshall, and Maynard Keynes - who admired her enormously. Her husband, having championed women's education, then became a vociferous opponent. Keynes, having been a student of Alfred Marshall, then developed a very different kind of economics. I wonder what Mary thought about it ...
Thank you Emma and yes, it must have been very difficult for her at times. But she found a way of keeping her own academic integrity and belief in women's education intact despite Alfred's campaigning against women at Cambridge. I think her friendships with the women of the Dining Society helped enormously with that.
Congratulations on the Substack featured badge! What an accolade! Well done! Truly inspired by people who dedicate and volunteer their time and knowledge to help others. She's a truly amazing lady. Is there any book or something that she wrote herself?
Thank you! Mary Paley Marshall's memoir is lovely - What I Remember (1947). She leaves out anything negative about her husband, but he can't have been an easy man to be married to.
I think that says it all about her and him. Wow! Grand lady for not spilling the beans. But those days you had to keep an appearance I guess and be strong. Great title for a memoir.
Really enjoyed this post, Ann, thanks so much for it. I'm familiar with Arthur Marshall and JM Keynes and their works but great to know what a contribution Mary made to economics and to libraries in Cambridge. The original card catalogue is delightful. And a new book club too - how delightful. The coming of a wet autumn is a perfect time to think about 'Enchanted April' and the new Oxford World Classics edition sounds really good too. (Just a shame it's not from Cambridge UP...)
Yes, OUP seem to be cornering the market on good books these days, Sue! Thanks for your kind words and encouragement re: the book club. That's exactly what I thought, regarding having something cheerful and sunny in these worrying times (and von Arnim isn't afraid to touch on serious themes too, for all her light comic touch). And glad that MPM gets her due as an economist in Rachel Reeves's new book which is actually pretty good.
Thanks Ann and sadly the ’she remained vastly under-recognised’ applies to so many brilliant women. Lucky me that this changes now and I read/see their contributions
Thanks Anders for your great comment. Yes, it does make me cross to think about how undervalued women often were professionally - but optimistic things are changing for the better.
Yes, I think she had so much she wanted to do - having put Alfred first for a lot of her life. She was lucky too, to be so physically fit for so long. Keep up those strength exercises, I tell myself!
I love the 1870 photo and also the portrait of Mary, both make me think she's sitting there wishing both artist and photographer would get on with it and let her retun to books
Love this, Ruth! I bet that's exactly what she was thinking. She looks quite fierce, but I like that she valued the charwomen's opinion of the portrait as much as the professors'.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, and how lovely that she didn't have to just drop out of academic life, after her husband's death, but was able to use her expertise, and stay in her world.
What an amazing woman and role model
Thanks Caroline! She really was.
It sounds as though Mary Paley Marshall was, among other things, a living card catalogue for those students! I hope the brown boxes are still consulted occasionally — they are so much more satisfying than digital catalogues which give you hundreds of near misses.
On punctuating names, I was taught either to use full stops between initials or spaces, but not *both*…
Thank you Jeremy & I will have to test out those brown boxes. How interesting about spaces between capitals. I haven't been a CUP editor for a while now, but just looked up the (current) Cambridge uni style guide and it's quite stern about it: 'Use spaces (not full stops) after initials. For example, write Dr M P S Handley.' Not that I feel the need to obey any more...
A footnote to this: I realise that long-term use of Twitter, and its character count, means that on social media at least I now don't use either spaces or stops for initials when taking about e.g. JH Prynne or TS Eliot (though I can't drop the stops from e.g.!)
Ah this is heartening to hear, Jeremy. I was worried that, from being a stickler and style guide fanatic in the past, I had gone too far in the opposite direction…
Well, as someone with an editorial background too, I like consistency, but I also like stylistic flexibility over prescriptive rules so... horses for courses!
Absolutely loved this, Ann. That portrait says everything: strong jaw, large hands, and the eyes that see exactly who you are. The lace scarf. I have my own thoughts about that and do not want to hear otherwise. Side note: my husband was a university librarian and a woodworker. When the old oak card catalogs were being decommissioned, he took several of them home. He made ingenious pieces of furniture from them, using extra card drawers throughout the house. I don’t know what “pre-Raphaelite” sandals are, but I want a pair.
Ha, Mary, you have put your finger on my own vagueness about such footwear. I tried to imagine what Jane Morris and others might in paintings, but perhaps they were too flimsy. I sense Mary was pretty practical as well as bohemian! Will keep an eye out for details about that lace shawl... and I loved hearing about your husband's turning those drawers into much loved furniture. I am awed by his talents.
Thanks for the article on Paley Marshall - very interesting! Great that you will discuss von Arnim, The Enchanted April. The new edition of the book is edited by Isobel Maddison, Emeritus Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College and published by Oxford World’s Classics. It is worth getting this edition which has scholarly footnotes and a very readable and informative introduction. Might I mention that Isobel will co-teach a course on von Arnim for us at Literature Cambridge - EvA: Men, Women and Dogs, Oct-Dec. 2025. https://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/von-arnim-2025
Thank you Trudi, and I will indeed recommend that edition - I know it well, and am in huge admiration of Isobel's work. Her intro really puts the novel into context. I'll definitely flag up that course too, love the theme of dogs in literature!
Lovely piece. I'm always intrigued by Mary's relationships with her husband, Alfred Marshall, and Maynard Keynes - who admired her enormously. Her husband, having championed women's education, then became a vociferous opponent. Keynes, having been a student of Alfred Marshall, then developed a very different kind of economics. I wonder what Mary thought about it ...
Thank you Emma and yes, it must have been very difficult for her at times. But she found a way of keeping her own academic integrity and belief in women's education intact despite Alfred's campaigning against women at Cambridge. I think her friendships with the women of the Dining Society helped enormously with that.
Congratulations on the Substack featured badge! What an accolade! Well done! Truly inspired by people who dedicate and volunteer their time and knowledge to help others. She's a truly amazing lady. Is there any book or something that she wrote herself?
Thank you! Mary Paley Marshall's memoir is lovely - What I Remember (1947). She leaves out anything negative about her husband, but he can't have been an easy man to be married to.
I think that says it all about her and him. Wow! Grand lady for not spilling the beans. But those days you had to keep an appearance I guess and be strong. Great title for a memoir.
The original dust cover of the memoir shows her in the old Marshall Library.
Yes, it’s a great photo Robert- thank you. I will find it and add it to the post.
It’s plate 13 in the book, and she was 92… there’s no credit however.
Love the Roger Fry portrait of Mary Paley Marshall. What a character/life! ✨
It's super isn't it, James. Really captures her spirit.
Really enjoyed this post, Ann, thanks so much for it. I'm familiar with Arthur Marshall and JM Keynes and their works but great to know what a contribution Mary made to economics and to libraries in Cambridge. The original card catalogue is delightful. And a new book club too - how delightful. The coming of a wet autumn is a perfect time to think about 'Enchanted April' and the new Oxford World Classics edition sounds really good too. (Just a shame it's not from Cambridge UP...)
Yes, OUP seem to be cornering the market on good books these days, Sue! Thanks for your kind words and encouragement re: the book club. That's exactly what I thought, regarding having something cheerful and sunny in these worrying times (and von Arnim isn't afraid to touch on serious themes too, for all her light comic touch). And glad that MPM gets her due as an economist in Rachel Reeves's new book which is actually pretty good.
She sounds wonderful! And thank you so much for the recommendation.
My pleasure Anna! Thank you for reading, and I love your posts.
Thanks Ann and sadly the ’she remained vastly under-recognised’ applies to so many brilliant women. Lucky me that this changes now and I read/see their contributions
They are changing and hopefully on Nov 5 we have taken another step
Yes! Fingers crossed.
Thanks Anders for your great comment. Yes, it does make me cross to think about how undervalued women often were professionally - but optimistic things are changing for the better.
Marvellous story of a long and splendid life. And what a wonderful face she had.
And thank you so much, Ann, for the generous mention - a very lovely thing to wake up to!!!
My pleasure, Laura, and Mary is certainly a hero of mine - reading her letters has been a joy.
Such value in bringing these women into the light!
What an inspiration of how to keep going, never stopping …. especially for those of us who are already in the adolescence of old age.
Yes, I think she had so much she wanted to do - having put Alfred first for a lot of her life. She was lucky too, to be so physically fit for so long. Keep up those strength exercises, I tell myself!
I love the 1870 photo and also the portrait of Mary, both make me think she's sitting there wishing both artist and photographer would get on with it and let her retun to books
Love this, Ruth! I bet that's exactly what she was thinking. She looks quite fierce, but I like that she valued the charwomen's opinion of the portrait as much as the professors'.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, and how lovely that she didn't have to just drop out of academic life, after her husband's death, but was able to use her expertise, and stay in her world.
Many thanks Louise and that's a great point! I loved the fact that she had her own ideas and confidence in her abilities, regardless of age.
A wonderful post, Ann. Mary Paley Marshall's story is inspirational.
Thank you Jeffrey. She certainly inspired everyone she met, by the sounds of it.