Elizabeth Walker (pharmacist) facts for kids

Elizabeth Walker (born 12 July 1623, died 23 February 1690) was a British druggist. She was known for her kindness and strong religious faith. She kept a journal that was published after she died by her husband, Anthony Walker. The book was called “The vertuous wife: or, the holy life of Mrs. Elizabeth Walker…” It shared her good deeds and faith.

Growing Up

Elizabeth Sadler was born in London on 12 July 1623. She was the oldest child of John and Elizabeth Sadler. Her father was a successful druggist in London. He sold tobacco and other medicines. Elizabeth was born five years into her parents' marriage. They had almost given up hope of having children. Because of this, her parents spoiled her a bit, and she always had what she needed.

Elizabeth said her mother trusted her more than her sisters. She sent Elizabeth to places where other children might get into trouble. From a young age, Elizabeth showed strong faith and obedience. These traits became well-known about her as an adult.

Her husband later called one event her "greatest fault." When Elizabeth was about fifteen, she got into trouble with an adult. Her father found out and asked her about it. Elizabeth was so ashamed that she denied what happened. This lie bothered her for the rest of her life. Her husband said she never told another lie after that.

When she was a young adult, Elizabeth became very sad. She started to doubt her faith and felt unhappy. Through friends and family, Elizabeth went to live in the countryside with an old minister named John Beadle. Over time, she felt better for a while. But sadness, or 'afflictions' as she called them, often troubled her throughout her life. Mr. Beadle helped her, and he also introduced her to her future husband, Anthony Walker. Soon after she returned home, Elizabeth and Anthony got married.

Her Family Life

Marriage and Love

Elizabeth married Anthony Walker on 23 July 1650. She was 27 years old. This was a bit later than most women married back then, but not too old. Mr. Walker was a religious man. He worked for an important Earl and later became a church leader in Fyfield.

Love seemed very important for her happy marriage. Her husband wrote in his book:

“She would often come into my Study to me, and when I have asked her what she would have, she would reply, Nothing, My Dear, but to ask thee how thou dost, and see if thou wantest any thing; and then with an endearing Smile would say, Dost thou love me? To which when I replied, Most dearly; I know it abundantly, would she answer, to my Comfort, but I love to hear thee tell me so.”

Elizabeth carefully wrote down every time her husband got sick. She described his illness and wrote prayers for him. His health was very interesting to her as a pharmacist. But she always called a doctor if needed.

Children and Teaching

Elizabeth had her first child, a daughter, on 12 July 1651. Over the next 14 years, she had eleven pregnancies. She had six sons and five daughters. Three of these babies were stillborn, meaning they died before birth. This left the Walkers with eight children who were born alive. Elizabeth kept detailed notes in her journal about each child's birth. She called them "merciful deliverance from God." She also wrote about her own health during these times.

She wrote:

“The twelfth of July, 1651, God mercifully Deliver'd me of my first Child. In 1652, I being big with-Child, had an high Fever, and was after a great and very hot fit delivered of a Daughter, Aug. 29. Being Lord's Day, between four and five in the Morning, my Fever turned to an Ague, and held me ten Weeks, and brought me very low, yet God in his Mercy graciously spared me, and restored my Health, I bless him for it.”

Elizabeth was the main teacher for her children, as was common then. She kept her children close. She hired teachers for dancing, singing, and writing. She taught them to read herself. She taught them to pray as soon as they could walk. When they could read, she had them memorize parts of the Bible.

She paid special attention to teaching her daughters. She wrote notes just for them. She reminded them of the duties of a "virtuous woman." This meant they should work hard, help those in need, and obey their husbands. In her writings, Elizabeth included many Bible verses and prayers she thought were important for her children. She often had her daughters write down her best recipes.

Even with her medical knowledge, most of her children did not live to be adults. In her journal, Elizabeth wrote about the deaths of two of her daughters, Mary and Elizabeth.

Mary was six years old when she died in 1669. Elizabeth wrote about her:

“My sweet Child, and dearly beloved Daughter Mary, a sweet tender hearted obedient Child, of great Prudence, and early Piety, and exemplary Inclination to the knowledge of God, and concerns of a better Life; she fell suddenly ill of a Sore Throat, Jan. 17. 1669. and after four Days illness, sweetly fell asleep in Jesus Christ, Jan. 21.”

About five or six years later, sadness struck the Walker home again. Her daughter, also named Elizabeth, died from smallpox. She was sixteen.

Her only daughter to marry was Margaret. Margaret had a son the same year she married. The son lived, but Margaret got a fever and died soon after.

It is hard to know exactly when her other children died. But in her journal, she wrote, “Lord I bless thee that of Eleven, for whom I Praise thee, thou hast yet spared me two […]”. One of these children was likely Margaret. The other was an unnamed son. It is possible Elizabeth saw all eleven of her children die.

Her Work and Helping Others

A Skilled Druggist

Elizabeth Walker was perhaps best known as a druggist, like her father. Her afternoons were spent helping sick neighbors. She prepared medicines and gave advice to the poor. She made "distilled Waters, Syrups, Oils, Ointments, Salves, &c." She would give them out or use them on those who needed help. She actively looked for new recipes for medicines and treatments. Her brother-in-law, who was a doctor, often helped her. She was skilled as both a doctor and a surgeon. When she wasn't reading the Bible, she studied medical books.

There is no mention of her having a license. So, Elizabeth was likely one of many people who practiced medicine without official permission back then. It was a bit unusual for her to work with drugs and medicines. Most women in medicine at that time were midwives, who helped with childbirth. Even women's health was not fully a women's field. Men often tried to pass laws to stop women from practicing medicine.

Daily Life and Writings

Besides making medicines and helping others, Elizabeth also managed her household. She taught her own servants to read and write. She also taught them to follow her religious ways. She was careful to keep a balance. She was never too strict or too easy on her servants. She was also never too cheap or too wasteful. Her days were very organized, like her record-keeping. She woke up early and prayed until six in the morning. Then she started the rest of her day. Her health was often fragile, and she had periods of sadness, just like when she was younger.

“The vertuous wife: or, the holy life of Mrs. Elizabeth Walker” was a book made by Elizabeth and her husband, Anthony. She wrote the journal while she was alive. She told her husband not to read it until she died. After she passed away, Anthony published her work. He also added his own thoughts, often about their relationship. Her journal entries describe big events like the Great Plague of London in 1665. She also wrote about the Great Fire of London in 1666. And she included her own personal stories about her eleven pregnancies.

It is important to know that publishing writings by women, especially diaries, was still quite new back then. Anthony Walker was special because he included long quotes and many pages from Elizabeth's own writings.

Besides her journal, Elizabeth Walker is also mentioned as a source for a "Receipt for the eyes" (a recipe for eye medicine). This was found in an old handwritten book.

Elizabeth Walker may also have been asked for advice or included in a recipe book written by Mary Rich, Countess of Warwick and her sister, Lady Katherine Ranelagh. But it is hard to know exactly what she wrote or influenced in that book.

Her Death

In February 1690, Elizabeth Walker became ill. She had pneumonia and erysipelas, a skin infection. After a few days, her illness got worse. She died on 23 February. A true sign of her faith, some of her last words to her husband were, “A short Prayer my Dear before thou goest.” She was buried on 27 February. Her husband died two years later, in 1692.

Her Legacy

It is not known if anyone continued Elizabeth Walker's work after she died. Ideally, her daughters would have continued for her. But since all of them had passed away, this was not possible. There is no mention of her ever taking on an apprentice, which was a common practice at the time. Elizabeth Walker's legacy lives on through her writings published by her husband. It also lives on in the other recipe books she may have been a part of.