The Story of Emily is a celebration of the life of powerful and determined human rights activist Emily Hobhouse (1860–1926).
Emily was hailed as a hero in South Africa, where she worked to improve conditions in British concentration camps during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). However, she was a contentious figure at home, viewed as a traitor by many.
She was the daughter of an Anglican minister and a pacifist who became a key figure in the South African Conciliation Committee, which was opposed to the Anglo-Boer War.
"Deeply I had felt the call"
Elsabé Brits – author of Rebel Englishwoman: the Remarkable life of Emily Hobhouse – says the more Emily learnt about the destruction of Boer homes and livelihoods wreaked by the British troops, the more determined she became to make a difference.
Emily wrote: “Deeply I had felt the call. Passionately I resented the injustice of English policy. Wholeheartedly I offered myself for relief to the distressed. Carefully step by step I prepared the way.”
She founded the South African Women and Children Distress Fund and in 1900, travelled alone to Cape Town where she spent months delivering aid and working to improve the conditions of the women and children living in the bell-tent concentration camps, where many suffered from malnutrition, disease and a lack of clean water.
On the return to England, Emily’s campaigning to challenge the machine of Empire and advocate for the human rights of prisoners of war was met with anger and opposition, both from the British government and the press, yet she didn’t back down. After the war, Emily travelled again to South Africa to initiate programmes to alleviate hunger.
A unique sensory journey
Now you can find out more about her life and the harsh realities of the Anglo-Boer War at her former family home, which is now an immersive historical experience in the village of St Ive, near Liskeard, Cornwall.
You can journey back to 1875 in the restored Victorian rectory, from the scullery to the maid’s room and school room.
Alongside the rectory are the War Rooms, billed as a ‘unique sensory journey’. The sieges and guerilla campaigns of the war are depicted through animation, film and virtual reality while the details of Emily’s courageous actions and legacy are brought to life in vivid detail.
There are also gardens to explore, and you can enjoy authentic South African heritage dishes from the 19th century in the restaurant set beside the Victorian-inspired kitchen garden.
The Story of Emily is open from 9am till 5pm, Thursday to Sunday, with self-guided audio tours of the Rectory and War Rooms available from 10am. These must be booked in advance. Adult prices start from £25.
Find out more at www.thestoryofemily.com
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All images: The Story of Emily