Amber Reeves facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amber Reeves
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Amber Reeves, with Anna-Jane, her daughter with H. G. Wells (1910)
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| Born | 1 July 1887 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | 26 December 1981 (aged 94) St John's Wood, London, England |
| Education | Newnham College, Cambridge |
| Subject | Feminism |
| Spouse |
George Blanco White
(m. 1909; died 1966) |
| Children | 3, including Thomas and Justin |
| Parents | Maud Pember Reeves and William Pember Reeves |
| Relatives | Dusa McDuff (granddaughter) Caroline Humphrey (granddaughter) Conrad Waddington (son-in-law) |
Amber Blanco White (born Amber Reeves; 1 July 1887 – 26 December 1981) was a writer and scholar from New Zealand who became a British citizen. She was known for her ideas about women's rights.
Contents
Amber Reeves' Early Life
Amber Reeves was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on July 1, 1887. She was the oldest of three children. Her mother, Maud Pember Reeves, was a Fabian feminist. Her father, William Pember Reeves, was a New Zealand politician and social reformer.
In 1896, when Amber was nine, her family moved to London, England. Her father became New Zealand's Agent-General there. Amber found London very different from New Zealand. She missed the freedom and the seashore.
Amber went to Kensington High School until 1904. After that, she traveled in Europe to learn French. Her father wasn't fully convinced about higher education for women. He gave her a choice: be presented at court (a formal introduction to society) or go to the University of Cambridge. Amber chose Cambridge.
In 1905, she began studying Moral Sciences (philosophy) at Newnham College. Her father was proud of her academic achievements.
Studying at Cambridge University
At Cambridge, Amber met other young women who loved learning and shared her socialist political views. She became lifelong friends with Eva Spielmann, who later became an educationalist. Amber joined several groups, including the debating society.
In 1907, she led a debate against Girton, another college. She argued that "the socialist conception of life is the most noble and the most fruitful, both for the state and the individual." This means she believed socialist ideas were best for society and individuals.
In 1906, Amber helped start the Cambridge University Fabian Society (CUFS). This was the first society at Cambridge that included women from the very beginning. Young women and men met as equals to discuss important topics. This was very different from the usual social rules of the time.
Amber was an excellent student. She earned a double first in 1908, which is a top academic honor. A professor, Gilbert Murray, praised her writing. Another student called her "intellect personified" after one of her lectures.
Amber Reeves and H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells, a famous writer, was a friend of Amber's parents. He often spoke at the Cambridge University Fabian Society. Amber and Wells became close. Their connection became known after they appeared together at a party.
Amber's family and George Rivers Blanco White, a lawyer she would later marry, tried to end their relationship. Amber wanted to have a child, but she did not want to break up Wells's marriage.
In 1909, Amber became pregnant. She and Wells went to France, but living together was difficult for them. After three months, they decided to return to England. Amber went to stay with Wells and his wife for a short time.
On May 7, 1909, Amber married Rivers Blanco White. Later in life, she said this marriage was "the best that could possibly have happened."
Wells wrote a novel called Ann Veronica, which was inspired by Amber. His publisher was worried about the book, but it was published in 1909. On December 31, 1909, Amber gave birth to a daughter, Anna-Jane. Anna-Jane did not know that H. G. Wells was her biological father until she was 18.
Work and Family Life
Amber Reeves worked for the Ministry of Labour. She was in charge of a section that focused on women's employment. Her job was to show that women could do many different kinds of work. Later, she managed women's wages at the Ministry of Munitions.
In 1919, she was appointed to the Whitley Council, but her job ended that same year. A public servant, Humbert Wolfe, said her dismissal was "really stupid" because she was a married woman.
By 1921, Amber's strong support for women workers caused problems. She was told that some members of Parliament wanted her removed from civil service. She received a dismissal notice. This largely ended her career in public service.
Amber then started writing her book Give and Take, which was published in 1923. She found being a housewife difficult. She wrote that it was "humiliating and narrowing" and wished for "some hard work again."
Amber and George Rivers Blanco White had three children: Anna-Jane, Thomas (a patent lawyer), and (Margaret) Justin Blanco White (an architect). Justin married biologist Conrad Hal Waddington. Their daughters are mathematician Dusa McDuff and anthropologist Caroline Humphrey.
Amber Reeves' Writings
Amber Reeves wrote four novels and four non-fiction books. All her works shared her socialist and feminist views. They criticized capitalist society. Her books include:
- The Reward of Virtue (1911)
- A Lady and her Husband (1914)
- Helen in Love (1916)
- Give and Take: A Novel of Intrigue (1923)
- The Nationalisation of Banking (1934)
- The New Propaganda (1938)
- Worry in Women (1941)
- Ethics for Unbelievers (1949)
She also wrote book reviews for magazines like Queen and Vogue. She wrote articles for the Saturday Review. For some time, she was the editor of the Townswomen's Guild paper, Townswoman.
Amber also worked with H. G. Wells on his book The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1931). She researched how the rubber trade harmed people in places like Putumayo Department, Peru, and Belgian Congo. She also helped with a section about how wealth is gained. Wells included a chapter on "The Role of Women in the World's Work" because Amber suggested it.
Political Career
During the 1924 election, Amber Reeves was asked to speak for both the Liberal and Labour Party candidates. She chose to support Labour. She felt a strong connection to the working-class people at Labour meetings.
She soon became a member of the Labour Party. She supported her husband, George Rivers Blanco White, when he ran as the Labour Party candidate for Holland-with-Boston.
Amber tried to get her ideas about currency, which she wrote about in The Nationalisation of Banking, adopted by the Labour Party. She and Rivers also worked on a party publication called Womens Leader. Amber remained active in the Fabian Society. She ran twice as a candidate for Hendon in 1931 and 1935.
Teaching Career
For many years, Amber Reeves taught at Morley College in London. Her friend Eva Hubback invited her to help out. In 1928, she became a lecturer, teaching classes on ethics and psychology twice a week.
In 1929, after the Equal Franchise Act gave women the right to vote on the same terms as men, she was scheduled to lecture on "The New Woman Voters and the Coming Election." However, she withdrew to help with her husband's election campaign.
She taught at Morley College for 37 years. She always updated her courses with new ideas in psychology. In 1946, she became acting principal after Eva Hubback's death. When a new principal was appointed in 1947, she went back to lecturing and writing her book Ethics for Unbelievers.
Later Life
In July 1960, Amber's husband, Rivers, had a stroke. He became paralyzed on his right side. Amber was very upset and became depressed during his last years.
When Rivers died on March 28, 1966, Amber was determined to live as normally as possible. She was visited by a New Zealand historian, Keith Sinclair, who was writing about her father. She was also interviewed twice by the BBC.
Even though she enjoyed talking about politics, she felt disappointed about the socialist hopes of her youth. She supported the Conservatives in the 1970 election. She believed that the wrong people were leading the left-wing parties.
In December 1981, Amber Reeves was admitted to a hospital in St John's Wood. She died on December 26, 1981, at the age of 94.
