Mrs John Felton

Felton, Mrs John, fl. 1836—1843

by Benjamin Colbert

In Life in America, Mrs Felton dates her preface 'Hull, June 1, 1838', mentions her 'infant of six months' accompanying her on the voyage out (and four children in all in the book), and an itinerant life, including other periods abroad following the profession of her husband, a 'Private Teacher'. This is almost certainly the John Felton, author of An Improved Method of Performing Commercial Calculations (c. 1837), who advertised a 'Classical & Commercial School on an Entire New System' in The Hull Packet, 29 June 1838, mentioning there his wintering in Glasgow, a likely first port of call after the Feltons returned from their two-year residence in the United States. The School and Mrs Felton's travelogue may have been part of a joint effort to restore their financial equilibrium after the American tour which must have been a drain on their resources, as the family suffered extended periods of illness during it. Little more, however, is known of the lives of either of the Feltons, although Mrs Felton signs her revised preface in the 1843 edition, 'Railway Cottage, Bolton Percy', the town in which the volume was printed 'for the Authoress'.

Sources:

Felton, Mrs. John. American Life. A Narrative of Two Years’ City and Country Residence in the United States. By Mrs. Felton. Bolton Percy: Printed for the Authoress, 1843. Print.

The Hull Packet, no. 2795 (Fri., 20 June 1838). Gale Databases: British Library Newspapers, Part I: 1800-1900. Web. 3 July 2018.

The York Herald, and General Advertiser, no. 3470 (Sat., 9 March 1839). Gale Databases: 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II. Web. 3 July 2018.

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