''The Monthly Packet'' was an English magazine published between 1851 and 1899, founded by members of the Oxford Movement to counter

Anglo-Catholic Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches. The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglica ...

extremism. It was strongly influenced by its first editor, the novelist

Charlotte Mary Yonge Charlotte Mary Yonge (1823–1901) was an English novelist, who wrote in the service of the church. Her abundant books helped to spread the influence of the Oxford Movement and show her keen interest in matters of public health and sanitation. ...

, with aims of providing instruction, entertainment and improvement. Other, unstated aims were to encourage interest in education, missionary work, and charity.

Content changes

''The Monthly Packet of Evening Readings for Younger Members of the English Church'', as shown in "The Introductory Letter" in Volume 1, was targeted at middle and upper-class Anglican girls. Evidence suggests readership actually included males, adults and members of the lower classes. (By July, 1880, the word "Younger" had been dropped from the title.) The magazine encouraged attitudes that included the prevailing view of religious and social standards. Over time, the approach was modified: Anglo-Catholic contributions were accepted, and it became more tolerant of Roman Catholicism and

Nonconformism Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

. It came to recognize that certain ills in society, such as poverty and ignorance, needed to be addressed. There was less emphasis on submission and obedience.

Literary history

''The Monthly Packet'' was the first periodical to publish Lewis Carroll's short stories, which were later compiled into A Tangled Tale. Other literary contributors included

Rosa Nouchette Carey Rosa Nouchette Carey (27 September 1840 – 9 July 1909) was an English children's writer and popular novelist, whose works reflected the values of her time and were thought of as wholesome for girls. However, they are "not entirely bereft of gr ...

with her novel ''Heriot's Choice'' in 1879.Rosa Nouchette Carey's ODNB entry
Retrieved 31 May 2011.
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Charlotte Yonge

Charlotte Mary Yonge as a churchwoman was influenced by

John Keble John Keble (25 April 1792 – 29 March 1866) was an English Anglican priest and poet who was one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement. Keble College, Oxford, was named after him. Early life Keble was born on 25 April 1792 in Fairford, Glouce ...

, one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement. She combined editing ''The Monthly Packet'' with writing novels, biography, history, school textbooks, and pieces for her magazine. To some extent, the magazine can be seen as an expression of her personality and beliefs. She describes her audience in the first editorial as "daughters of our own beloved

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

church in England" (meaning that the Church of England is by definition a part of the universal church). However, unusual work such as that by

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequ ...

was also included. In 1891 the novelist

Christabel Coleridge Christabel Rose Coleridge (25 May 1843 – 14 November 1921) was an English novelist and an editor of girls' magazines, sometimes in collaboration with the novelist Charlotte Mary Yonge. Her views on the role of women in society were conservativ ...

became the assistant editor. She was sole editor from 1894. The magazine offers insights into Victorian life, especially regarding religious attitudes. Other subjects of interest are history, education, sociology and women's studies.

References

External links

"Establishing Identity", by June Sturrock
1851 establishments in the United Kingdom 1899 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Anglicanism Anglican newspapers and magazines Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Religious magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1851 Magazines disestablished in 1899 Youth magazines {{italic title