Frances Elizabeth Herring moved from England to New Westminster, BC, where she became a journalist and novelist.
This author's life has been researched earlier for inclusion in the
Entry revised by Daryn Wright and Linnea McNally
Frances Elizabeth Herring was born in King's Lynn, Worfolk, England, to John Jonathan Herring (1815-1855) and Harriet Clarke (b. c1821). She was educated in Reading, Berkshire, England, where she later taught briefly. Believing that a prosperous future would be found in the colonies, and reportedly due also to family conflict, Frances left England for Canada in 1874 and settled in British Columbia.
Soon after her arrival, she married her cousin, Arthur May Herring (1851-1941), who had come to North America as a child. Their wedding took place on 27 December 1874 in New Westminster, BC. The couple lived in Langley, BC, where a town had been established around the old Hudson's Bay fort. Frances was certified as a teacher by British Columbia's Board of Education in July 1875, and was appointed as a teacher at the Langley school in March 1876. According to a school superintendent there, she was "one of our best teachers." During her time teaching in Langley, Frances presented "controversial and explicitly political" papers at the British Columbia Teachers' Convention.
Frances left Langley in 1878 and relocated to New Westminster, where Arthur had established a wholesale and retail drug business. During the 1880s, Frances spent much of her time devoted to child rearing and domestic chores. She gave birth to eight children, although only three boys and one girl lived to adulthood. During the last decade of the nineteenth century, Frances became more involved in journalism, and in 1892 became the editor of the column
In addition to her journalistic and philanthropic work, Frances wrote fiction, often influenced by her immigrant experience, proto-feminist attitudes, and the racism prevalent during the turn of the century. She published her own short stories in her column at the
Frances continued to write until shortly before her death from diabetes on 16 November 1916. For a more detailed biography, see her entry in the
John Jonathan Herring was born to Jonathan Herring and Frances Howlett. He worked as a merchant and married Harriet Clarke (b. c1821). They had five children together. He died on 18 May 1855.
Harriet Clarke was born in King's Lynn, Worfolk, England, to George Clarke (1792-1877) and Elizabeth Ward (1793-1888), a prominent local family. She married John Jonathan Herring (1815-1855), and they had five children together.
Arthur May Herring was born on 2 May 1851 in Corfu, Greece, to George Herring (d. 1852) and Elizabeth Hill (1824-1859). He came to North America as a young child and studied at Heald College in San Francisco, CA. On 27 December 1874, he married his cousin, Frances Elizabeth Herring (1851-1916), who had recently immigrated to Canada. Arthur and Frances had eight children together, although only three sons and one daughter lived to adulthood.
In 1877, Arthur established a wholesale and retail drug business in New Westminster, BC. He served as a city council member of New Westminster for fifteen years. He died on 29 May 1941.
Teaching certification
Schoolteacher
British Columbian correspondent,
President, Royal Columbian Hospital Women's Auxiliary
Secretary-treasurer, Literature Committee of the New Westminster Branch of the Woman's Auxiliary to the Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada (
National Council of Women of Canada
Royal Columbian Hospital Women's Auxiliary
Numerous resources incorrectly give Frances's maiden name as Clarke, her mother's maiden name. Some records also suggest her actual birth date was 23 December 1846, although these records are contradictory, and it is unclear which is the true date of birth.