Everyday Heroism: Victorian Constructions of the Heroic Civilian

Description

Heroism in the 19th and early 20th centuries is synonymous with military endeavours, imperial adventures and the ‘great men of history’. There was, however, another prominent and influential strand of the idea which has, until now, been largely overlooked. This book seeks to address this oversight and establish new avenues of study by revealing and examining ‘everyday’ heroism; acts of life-risking bravery, undertaken by otherwise ordinary individuals, largely in the course of their daily lives and within quotidian surroundings. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, John Price charts and investigates the growth and development of this important discourse, presenting in-depth case studies of The Albert Medal and the Carnegie Hero Fund alongside a nationwide analysis of heroism monuments and an exploration of radical approaches to the concept. Unlike its military and imperial counterparts, everyday heroism embraced the heroine and this study reflects that with an examination of female heroism. Discovering why certain individuals or acts were accorded the status of being ‘heroic’ also provides insights into those that recognized them. Heroism is a flexible and malleable constellation of ideas, shaped or constructed along different lines by different people, so if you want to identify the characteristics of a group or society, much can be learnt by studying those it holds up as heroic. Consequently, Everyday Heroism: Victorian Constructions of the Heroic Civilian provides valuable and revealing evidence for a wide range of social and cultural topics including; class, gender, identity, memory, celebrity, and literary and visual culture. Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements Introduction: ‘Capable of Splendid Deeds’: Heroism and the Heroic in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries The chronology and development of the idea of everyday heroism Chapter 1 ‘Gallantry in Saving Life’: The Albert Medal ‘Daring and heroic actions’: A brief administrative history of the Albert Medal An inducement to acts of gallantry: The reasoning behind the medal ‘Considerable difficulties’ and the measures to guard against them ‘Pestering . . . the Home Office’: The process and influence of nomination ‘Some rules to guide us’: The decision-making process and those who undertook it To reward or not to reward: The judgements behind the decisions To award or not to award II: The influences behind the judgements Conclusions Chapter 2 ‘Heroism in Every-day Life’: Alternative Approaches to Everyday Heroism The Red Cross Hall murals Mrs Barrington and ‘A Suggestion for the Kyrle Society’ Walter Crane and the Red Cross Hall murals The Red Cross Hall project and everyday heroism ‘Heroes of Everyday Life’ and ‘Ballads of Brave Deeds’ The Watts memorial to heroic self-sacrifice Conclusions Chapter 3 ‘Erected by Public Subscription’: Monuments to Everyday Heroism ‘Erected by public subscription by her fellow townspeople’: Conceiving and realizing a memorial ‘A drinking fountain in the castle gardens’: The importance of location ‘Miss Harrison’s intrepid example’: Commemorating and communicating the exemplary life Conclusions Chapter 4 ‘Heroes for Hire’: The Carnegie Hero Fund Trust The Gospel of Wealth: The Hero Fund as a vehicle for philanthropy The administrative approach of the Hero Fund The volume and reach of Hero Fund awards ‘Empanelled as a jury’: The Hero Fund Board of Trustees ‘Beset with plenty of difficulties’: Problems and challenges faced by the Hero Fund The ‘false heroes of barbarism’: The Hero Fund and the quest for world peace Conclusions Chapter 5 ‘Courage for a man is heroism for a girl’: The Gendered Nature of Heroism ‘Heroines of Daily Life’: Locating and revealing female heroism ‘Decidedly not a day for a woman’: Acts by women and comparisons to men ‘The angel in the house’: The acceptable theatre for female heroism ‘My place is here’: Mary Rogers, stewardess of the Stella ‘Courage for a man is heroism for a girl’: The gendered scales of heroism Conclusions Conclusion Appendix One First Royal Warrant Instituting the Albert Medal, 7 March 1866 Appendix Two Catalogue of British Monuments to Everyday Heroism Erected Between 1850 and 1914 Notes Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Conclusion Bibliography Primary sources Secondary sources Index