I am grateful for the endorsement of Michael Schmidt and to the librarians who assisted me with the papers of Elizabeth Jennings. Stella Halkyard at the John Rylands University Library, University of Manchester was outstanding in her enthusiasm, knowledge and interest; her successor, Fran Baker, has given updated information and valuable feedback on the draft website. I also gained from the willing expertise of Nicholas Scheetz at the University of Georgetown, Washington and from the staff at the University of Delaware, the SUNY University at Buffalo and the Olin Library, Washington University in St. Louis.

Portraits 4-7 are used Courtesy of Emma Mason and Rachel Buxton. My thanks go to them for shared enthusiasm and ideas over coffee in QI, Oxford.

Technical design and development has been implemented by Dr Nick Hayward (CTSDH, Loyola University, Chicago). My gratitude goes to Nick Hayward for his expertise in the design and upkeep of this website.

All quotations are granted by kind permission of David Higham Associates.

‘All quotations from Rylands collections are reproduced by courtesy of the University Librarian and Director, The John Rylands University, The University of Manchester’