Clara Lucas Balfour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clara Lucas Balfour
Born	21 December 1808 New Forest, Hampshire, England
Died	3 July 1878(1878-07-03) (aged 69) Croydon, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Temperance campaigner, lecturer, author
Spouse(s)	James Balfour (m. 1824)
Children	Jabez Balfour
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Clara Lucas Balfour (born Lucas) was an important English writer, speaker, and activist. She lived from 1808 to 1878. Clara worked hard to promote the temperance movement, which encouraged people to avoid alcohol. She was also involved in many other good causes during her lifetime.

Clara's Early Life

Clara Lucas was born in a place called the New Forest in Hampshire, England. Her birthday was December 21, 1808. She was the only child of John Lydell Lucas and his wife, Sarah.

When Clara was very young, her parents separated. Clara went to live with her father on the Isle of Wight. After her father passed away in 1818, Clara and her mother moved to London. They did not have much money and earned a living by doing needlework. Clara's mother was very smart. Clara herself loved to read and practice speaking from a young age.

In September 1824, when she was 15 years old, Clara married James Balfour. He worked for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, which is part of the British government. They made their home in Chelsea, London.

Clara's Public Work

Becoming an Activist

Clara Balfour became very involved in the temperance movement. This movement aimed to reduce or stop people from drinking alcohol. She decided to "take the pledge," meaning she promised to avoid alcohol completely. This happened at a local church. After this, Clara became a Baptist Christian.

At first, Clara simply showed others a good example by not drinking. But she saw how much harm drunkenness caused. So, she decided to do more. She became an active leader in the temperance movement. She first helped the women in her local area of Chelsea. Then, she started writing for newspapers and magazines. Clara was one of the first writers to promote teetotalism, which means complete abstinence from alcohol.

Clara realized that writing was her special talent. She also wrote about other topics that helped working-class people. In Chelsea, there were some groups promoting ideas that Clara disagreed with. She wrote articles explaining why she thought these ideas were harmful. Her writings helped to change people's minds in Chelsea.

Between 1837 and 1840, Clara wrote a pamphlet called Common Sense versus Socialism. This was aimed at a local group with different ideas. A famous writer named Jane Carlyle thanked Clara for her work, and they became friends. Around this time, Clara also met John Dunlop of Gairbraid, another activist. He hired her to help edit the Temperance Journal in 1841.

Clara's last public appearance was in May 1877. She was chosen to be the president of the British Women's Temperance Association.

Clara as a Lecturer

In 1841, Clara and her family moved to Maida Hill. This is when she began giving public lectures, which she became famous for. Her first lecture was at the Greenwich Literary Institution. People loved her talks, even though it was unusual for women to lecture publicly back then. Any doubts people had disappeared after they heard her speak.

Her fame grew, and she received many invitations to speak. She traveled to many big towns across the United Kingdom. Clara did not only lecture about temperance. She also spoke about the influence of women in society and similar topics. For several years, she even taught literature at a leading school for girls.

Some of her lectures included "The most distinguished Female Sovereigns of Europe" in 1851. She also gave a talk called "Henry the Eighth and his Six Wives" in 1866.

Her lectures were not like sermons, but they always had a strong Christian message. Sometimes, her talks even helped struggling literary groups pay off their debts. Clara continued this work for 29 years. She stopped only when she was too tired to continue.

Clara as a Writer

Clara Balfour became very well-known as an author. She helped many people through her writing. Her book Women of Scripture was printed nine times. In this book, she shared her belief that the best wisdom for life comes from the Bible.

She also wrote Moral Heroism; the Trials and Triumphs of the Great and Good. This was a popular book for young people. Another book, Up-hill Work, showed how earthly efforts and faith can help people. Happy Evenings; a Home Record was a book about home life. Sunbeams for all Seasons offered advice for life's hopes and sorrows and was printed many times. Her book A Whisper to a Newly Married Pair was printed 23 times!

At the time of her death, her story Lilian's Trial was being published. Other stories like Job Tufton, The Burmish Family, and The Manor Mystery were published after she passed away.

Most of Clara's books promoted temperance. They also had a religious message and covered many different topics. Her books sold very well. Clara wrote many shorter stories for magazines like the British Workman, Day of Days, and Home Words. Some of her temperance stories, such as "Troubled Waters" and "Light at Last," were widely read. Her other works, like "Sketches of English Literature" and "Morning Dewdrops," were also highly respected.

Clara believed it was important to provide good, inspiring stories in magazines. She was one of the first writers for The Fireside magazine. Her last story, "Lilian's Trial," appeared in its pages. She also wrote articles like "Home Makers, and How They Made Them" for Home Words. These writings shared her practical wisdom from her own life experiences. Her kind and motherly advice made these articles very special.

People noted that Clara always wrote with a purpose. She was a talented storyteller but never just wrote for entertainment. She knew a good story could help people, but she also worried about people reading too much fiction. She once wrote in a letter that she felt sad about the growing desire for only fiction. She hoped she had used her imagination to promote good things.

Clara's Family Life

Clara and James Balfour had seven children together. Four of them lived to adulthood. One of their sons was Jabez Balfour. He later became the mayor of Croydon and a Member of Parliament. Their daughter, Cecile, married Dawson Burns, who was the son of Jabez Burns.

Clara Balfour passed away in Croydon on July 3, 1878. She was buried at the Paddington Cemetery. Reverend Dawson Burns gave a speech in her memory.

Selected Works