Elizabeth Banks (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Brister Banks (May 2, 1865 – July 18, 1938) was an American
journalist
and author
. Although she never renounced her American
citizenship, she remained in England throughout the last forty years of her life.
A fiery red head, Elizabeth was born in Trenton
, New Jersey
. Her parents were John Banks and Sarah Ann Brister. As a young child, she was raised by her aunt Elizabeth Brister and uncle Joseph Peck on "the experimental farm" north of Madison near Deansville, Wisconsin
. She attended Milwaukee Downer Female Seminary College in Milwaukee when it was still located at Fox Lake, Wisconsin
.
She became a typewriter girl in a grocery store, then worked society pages in Baltimore and St. Paul. She worked as secretary at the American Counsulate in Peru
, later becoming a stunt journalist when other women writers were relegated to society and fashion pages.
In London, she became a regular contributor to publications such as The Daily News, Punch
, St James' Gazette, London Illustrated, and Referee. She created a sensation in London by recording her observations on the plight of the lower classes, which she researched posing as a housemaid, street sweeper, and Covent Garden flower girl. Her journalistic writing under several pen names including pseudonyms of "Mary Mortimer Maxwell" and "Enid", unceasingly promoted women's right to vote and denounced prison conditions for jailed suffragettes.
Elizabeth lived in London at 17 Downing Street, close to the Prime Minister's residence. Her neighbors and friends included George Bernard Shaw
, John Galsworthy
, Thomas Hardy
, H. G. Wells
and suffragette Henrietta Marston. She made major contributions to British Intelligence in developing strategies to help protect London from German aerial attacks and developing propaganda schemes that helped draw the United States into the first world war. According to Who's Who in America (volume 20, 1938) "in 1914 she founded the Authors' Belgian Fund and Dirk's fund for the Allies. She originated and also wrote a series of controversial essays entitled "The Lady at the Round Table".
She made a trip back to the United States and became the author of an autobiographical work, The Remaking of an American. She also wrote "Campaigns of Curiosity" and "Newspaper Girl". Careful to protect her sources in both her letters and written works, the bulk of her personal papers were destroyed upon her death. She died on Jul 18, 1938 of arteriosclerosis
was cremated with her ashes deposited at Golder's Green Crematorium, the first in London ref: Elizabeth's name may be found on the Mabel Spink plaque.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Although she never renounced her American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizenship, she remained in England throughout the last forty years of her life.
A fiery red head, Elizabeth was born in Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Her parents were John Banks and Sarah Ann Brister. As a young child, she was raised by her aunt Elizabeth Brister and uncle Joseph Peck on "the experimental farm" north of Madison near Deansville, Wisconsin
Deansville, Wisconsin
Deansville is an unincorporated community located in the town of Medina, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States....
. She attended Milwaukee Downer Female Seminary College in Milwaukee when it was still located at Fox Lake, Wisconsin
Fox Lake, Wisconsin
Fox Lake is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,454. The city is located within the Town of Fox Lake.-Geography:...
.
She became a typewriter girl in a grocery store, then worked society pages in Baltimore and St. Paul. She worked as secretary at the American Counsulate in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, later becoming a stunt journalist when other women writers were relegated to society and fashion pages.
In London, she became a regular contributor to publications such as The Daily News, Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
, St James' Gazette, London Illustrated, and Referee. She created a sensation in London by recording her observations on the plight of the lower classes, which she researched posing as a housemaid, street sweeper, and Covent Garden flower girl. Her journalistic writing under several pen names including pseudonyms of "Mary Mortimer Maxwell" and "Enid", unceasingly promoted women's right to vote and denounced prison conditions for jailed suffragettes.
Elizabeth lived in London at 17 Downing Street, close to the Prime Minister's residence. Her neighbors and friends included George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
, John Galsworthy
John Galsworthy
John Galsworthy OM was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include The Forsyte Saga and its sequels, A Modern Comedy and End of the Chapter...
, Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
, H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
and suffragette Henrietta Marston. She made major contributions to British Intelligence in developing strategies to help protect London from German aerial attacks and developing propaganda schemes that helped draw the United States into the first world war. According to Who's Who in America (volume 20, 1938) "in 1914 she founded the Authors' Belgian Fund and Dirk's fund for the Allies. She originated and also wrote a series of controversial essays entitled "The Lady at the Round Table".
She made a trip back to the United States and became the author of an autobiographical work, The Remaking of an American. She also wrote "Campaigns of Curiosity" and "Newspaper Girl". Careful to protect her sources in both her letters and written works, the bulk of her personal papers were destroyed upon her death. She died on Jul 18, 1938 of arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis refers to a stiffening of arteries.Arteriosclerosis is a general term describing any hardening of medium or large arteries It should not be confused with "arteriolosclerosis" or "atherosclerosis".Also known by the name "myoconditis" which is...
was cremated with her ashes deposited at Golder's Green Crematorium, the first in London ref: Elizabeth's name may be found on the Mabel Spink plaque.