Alicia Helen Neve BEWICKE (aka "Mrs Archibald Little") [c.1845-1926]

Submitted by eurasian_david on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 08:20
Names
Given
Alicia Helen Neve
Family
Bewicke
Alias / nickname
"Mrs Archibald Little"
Sex
Female
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
(Year is approximate.)
Birthplace (town, state)
Funchal, Madeira
Died
Date

Author, traveller and social campaigner is an understatement.

She went with her husband Archiabld John Little (1838-1908) to China in 1887 and together as a couple made a huge contribution to the opening up of inland trade and improving the lives of Chinese women by campaigning against foot-binding. From 1895 she encouraged European women in China to join the anti-footbinding movement. She didn’t hold back on the truly shocking effects of foot-binding, showing x-rays of women with bound feet in her speeches. She even had the support of a Chinese Viceroy, Li Hung-chang, and perhaps most importantly, the Dowager Empress, Cixi. 

In this blog article by Bryan Sitch, Deputy Head of Collection in Manchester Museum as part of a number of ongoing reserach projects and events for the opening of the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Cultural Gallery at Manchester Museum in 2022 we can read the remarkable life of this woman and her husband.

 

"Mrs Archibald Little informs us that she intends visiting Hongkong and Canton shortly in the interests of the anti-footbinding society of which she is the founder. She will doubtless lecture in Hongkong on the subject."

Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 2nd February 1900

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Photos that show this Person

alicia-ellen-neve-little-ne-bewicke-mrs-archibald-little.jpg
1860s
archibald-john-little-alicia-ellen-neve-little-ne-bewicke-mrs-archibald-little.jpg
1894

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Her name is shown as Alicia Neva Bewicke on various books she wrote and which are  advertised on Amazon

British Museum shows her as

Also known as
Mrs. Archibald Little
primary name: primary name: Bewicke, Alicia Helen Neva
other name: other name: (Mrs) Little, Archibald
other name: other name: Bewicke, A E N
other name: other name: Little, Alicia

1881 Census 15 Camden Hill Road Kensington London

Alice (sic) E N Bewicke Umarried age 35 Authoress Income derived from investments. Born Madeira Portugal.

She has a live in cook and parlourmaid.

She married at St Martin in the Fields in the Parish of St George Hanover Square London on 26 November 1886 and signed her own name as Alicia Ellen Neve Bewicke aged 41 spinster. Address 15 Camden Hill Road London W, daughter of  Calverley Bewicke gentleman deceased. Spouse Archibald John Little 48 Bachelor Merchant address 18 Park Street London W, Witnesses Calverley J Bewicke and E. Muirhead Little.

Archibald John Little was the son of William John Little M.D. formerly senior physician at the London Hospital

Carl Smith Card 119787

27 January 1907 the couple left for England

Probate Calendar  Gives date of death as 31 July 1926 aged 81 She was a widow.

Her husband Archibald John Little died in Falmouth Cornwall in 1908. Death registered Quarter 4 1908. Probate Calendar gives his date of death as 5 November 1908, He was born 18 April 1838 in London.