The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

Citation

Ann Wishart, Kathy Watson, Sue Gorbing, Peter Roscoe and Sal Hampson (2016), "The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 72-73. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAOA-02-2016-0012

Miss Anne Lister (1791-1840) of Shibden Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire: resident landowner and keeper of coded diaries which, when translated revealed tales of financial crisis and – more unusually – lustful liaisons with other women. In June 2011, Anne’s diaries were recognised by the United Nations as a pivotal document in British History and biographer Helena Whitbread applauds this film as a faithful, if dramatised, representation of the Anne’s life through her diaries.

“Do you like Byron?” Classic euphemism and clever humour help to depict an unusually positive lesbian character in film and Anne Lister is full of surprises.

Wealthy by inherited property rather than disposable cash, Anne is nonetheless a powerful woman who understands the attraction of her own freedom and independence in a time when women were usually dependent on men, be they fathers, husbands or colleagues in business.

Interestingly, Anne makes us uncomfortable in her own confidence, she appears predatory as she surveys possible love-interest in church and charges a kiss for a young woman to pass through a gate. Is she manipulative or is she using what she can to gain a reaction and gauge an interest?

Anne is a woman whose inner strength moves her from being a product of her time, located within that society with limited scope for getting out – towards a greater degree of economic independence and a stronger position in herself, making her a more modern figure than might be expected. She is very much about herself, trying to control her own destiny; quite different from Radcliffe Hall writing in early twentieth century.

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister (English, 2010) offers us four distinct experiences of women in the early eighteenth century, exploring their sexualities in the context of the day: the young Tibbs who we first meet in church, then at the “kissing gate”, desperately wanting to be with Anne and yet living with her parents all her life; Marianna – Anne Lister’s greatest love – undoubtedly lesbian but choosing the husband to lead the acceptable life. Anne Walker – Anne’s ultimate partner, offering companionship to prevent predatory male suitors; and of course, Anne herself – assured, intelligent and isolated, with a magnetism about her – and miraculously recording everything in her coded diaries.

This film is a refreshing move from the big City, situated in Halifax – away from the parties, salons and high-life gaiety depicted in the BBC dramatisation of Sarah Water’s novel Tipping the Velvet. There is no reference to, or political awareness of gay men or any broader “scene” but more an isolated location – with a surprising amount of love interest! It gives us a wider awareness of lesbian history, an understanding that “these things” were going on before us modern folk invented them! One can hope that the film is educational as well as entertaining, that it brings characters and stories alive, raises LGBT visibility and so potentially less assumptions are made. It also highlights the double dilemma of gender discrimination and the secret lives of lesbians, perhaps Anne’s stroppy nature is something to do with the barriers she is faced with.

It is with relief that there is no suggestion of mental illness for Anne associated with her sexual preferences – unlike “classic images of lesbians in British films as mad, bad and dangerous to know (The Killing of Sister George (1968); The Children’s Hour (1969)) if anything, here Anne Lister is depicted as a strong, occasionally objectionable woman! Beyond film, lesbians have historically been all but ignored, presumed inconceivable in concept (famously by Queen Victoria), over-looked and shunned; with issues pertinent to them misunderstood or misrepresented.

The early 1800s was such a repressive time for women and we should not forget. Perhaps our relief lies in the fact that things are not so bad now. It seems unbelievable that we can have civil partnerships and same-sex marriage – we have indeed moved mountains.

About the reviewers

The authors are all involved in SAND – Safe Ageing No Discrimination, a group working to improve the experiences and increase the expectations of older and LGBT people in Shropshire. Sal Hampson is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: lgbtsand@gmail.com