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Mrs G Linnaeus Banks (Isabella Banks), (1821 – 1897) was a writer born in Manchester, UK. She married George Banks in 1845 and will best be remembered for her book The Manchester Man.

Isabella Varley was born on 25 March 1821 above her father’s pharmacy at 10 Oldham Street in Manchester. Both her father, James and her mother Amelia were active in politics, although Manchester did not then have a Member of Parliament. James Varley had several roles in his lifetime as a town Alderman and Magistrate.

Isabella’s flair for writing was first noted, when she sent some poems to The Manchester Guardian in 1837, which published one of her poems. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1844 entitled Ivy Leaves.

She married George Linnaeus Banks in 1845. For much of the early part of the marriage he was a jobbing journalist based variously in Birmingham and London. During the period they had eight children (although only 3 survived into adulthood) and in by 1860, he had reached the status of editor.

The loss of her eldest child (then aged 14), is a motive behind her first novel God’s Providence House, based on the 1665 plague in Chester.

The Manchester Man, is her greatest achievement and still today is read throughout the world. Her heroes of the book Jabez Clegg and Joshua Brooks are remembered in the names of pubs in Manchester.

At the very end of her life, The Manchester Man appeared in an illustrated form. It was the size of a family bible - 14 inches by 6 inches and 3½ inches thick. The illustrated edition was published in 1896 and Isabella died on 4 May 1897.

• The Manchester Man

• Northern Quarter

• George Linnaeus Banks

• The Manchester Man - Chapters 1 - 16 (Not complete book) PDF 445kb
• An Alternative version of her history

Hayes C Memories Manchester Evening News p32 26/10/91