Servants and Gentlewomen to the Golden Land

Too often, the emigration of women has been treated as an adjunct to that of men, especially in the case of families travelling together. The emigration of single women, though widespread - particularly in the British Empire - has generally been neglected, or seen as only part of a larger story. In significant ways, however, the emigration of single women from Britain in the 19th and early 20th centuries was distinct from the general movement. It was rooted, in the main, in those features of British society peculiar to their sex, and also in conditions in the colonies that made the venture possible for them. What factors would cause a woman to leave all she has known for the uncertainty and danger of a 'wild' colony half a world away? How did these women adapt to the unique circumstances of life in southern Africa?