Abigail Stanhope (1795-1867) was a printer and schoolteacher from Utopia who printed the rebels' pamphlets, represented her town on the committee and lived to see the independence of 1843.

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KEY INFO

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🌱 Born : 30 April 1795

🪦 Died : 15 December 1867 (aged 72)

📍 Birthplace : Utopia, Archipelago of Lochburn

🪪 Nationality : British, colonial born, later Utopian

💼 Occupation : Printer, schoolteacher

🗝️ Associated place : Utopia, Lochburn County

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TIMELINE

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• 1795: Birth in Utopia

• 1818: A school and a press

• Summer 1824: Printing for Bramwell

• Winter 1824 to 1825: Voice of Utopia

• 1843: Independence

• 15 December 1867: Death in Utopia

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RELATED FIGURES

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• Nathaniel Bramwell : Author she printed
• Silas Northcott : Source of the leaks
• Gideon Tremaine : Travelling companion

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TO GO FURTHER

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Gideon TREMAINE

[1824] Lochburn Rebellions

Nathaniel BRAMWELL

Pamparina Bay

Silas NORTHCOTT

Utopia

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FUN FACT

She is said to have taught half of Utopia to read, and to have hidden her printing press in the cellar of her school, beneath the benches of her youngest pupils.

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A PRESS IN UTOPIA

∟ Born in the town of justice

Abigail Stanhope was born in Utopia in 1795, in the town the Crown had made the seat of justice and religion. She grew up among clerks, lawyers and clergymen, and learned to read before she could write.

∟ School and press

In 1818, Abigail opened a small school and bought a printing press, which she used for sermons, notices and schoolbooks.

WORDS AGAINST THE TAX

∟ Printing for Bramwell

In the summer of 1824, she printed Nathaniel Bramwell's pamphlets and had them carried to Clearfog Harbor in barrels of salted fish. After his death, she printed his last texts and the court documents leaked by Silas Northcott.

∟ Voice of Utopia

As one of the four representatives on the committee, Abigail traveled by boat from Utopia to Pamparina Bay with Gideon Tremaine, always under cover of darkness.

AFTER THE WAR

∟ Independence

Abigail lived to see the independence of 1843 and took part in the first public assemblies in which the people of the territory had a say in national decisions.

∟ A teacher until the end

She went on teaching and printing until her death in Utopia in 1867, remembered as the woman whose words helped build the country.

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• Version française </aside>