The Ambitions of Jane Franklin: Victorian Lady Adventurer Paperback – November 1, 2016

This book gives an insight to the early history of Tasmania.Jane was very influential in the affairs of government and exercised considerable power, which is unusual for that time in history.

I spent a lot of time this year traveling in Lady Franklin's footsteps. Then I read this amazing book, concise, well balanced, right to the point. I am very grateful that someone took the time to do such a comprehensive research on this topic.

I enjoyed reading this biography of Jane Franklin because in so many different ways, I felt this book clarified who Lady Franklin was – through letters, careful research, and reconstruction of her life. The book clearly describes her childhood, her early, rather adventurous and intrepid travels, her late-in-life marriage to Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin, and, of most interest to me, her subsequent sojourn in Van Diemen’s Land (current Tasmania) during his governorship there.Despite the considerable research that underpins this biography and a consistently even-handed style, the book is quite readable and brings an accurate picture of Lady Franklin to life very effectively. Through snippets from her surviving letters and journals, for example, we learn of Lady Franklin’s anguish and private misgivings about how she could best support her husband, a genial and deeply religious man, who most agree lacked the political skills to navigate the rough-and-tumble politics of colonial Van Diemen’s Land.Alexander’s retelling of the political infighting that led ultimately to Franklin’s recall clarifies the different groups who supported and opposed Sir John without editorializing. Alexander suggests that those newspapers that criticized Lady Franklin’s ‘meddling’ do not accurately reflect how the Franklins were regarded and what they achieved in Van Diemen’s Land.In the Victorian Era, Alexander points out such women of a certain class were expected to stay home and embroider, to ‘ornament’ their husbands’ careers. They might help out, in this age before photocopying, to copy out documents. Lady Franklin did copy such documents, but she also critiqued them, suggested editing changes, and lobbied for the good of the colony.Lady Franklin was too independent, too worldly, too well educated, and passionate about her interests, to submerge herself into a submissive role. But Lady Franklin had flaws as well. She was flirtatious, demanding, and very aware of class distinctions (and enforced them). She can’t have been easy to live with; yet, despite her bouts with ill health, she inspired those around her with her generosity and perseverance. She was outraged and humiliated by public criticism. The picture that emerges from The Ambitions of Jane Franklin is of an indomitable, almost driven woman, one much larger than history recognizes.If you are drawn to history about the Victorian Era, women’s lives in general (and Lady Jane Franklin, in particular), or the colonial period in Australian history, this is a remarkable, well-researched and written resource. I’m now on my second read through.