Bertha Porter

“ Miss Fothergill's novels largely depict life on the moorland, in the factories of Lancashire and Yorkshire; but she combined with the fruits of her observation of the places where her life was mainly spent, enthusiastic descriptions of the influence of music. 'Cotton mills and music, manufacturing England and Germany' were the chief subjects of her pen (Novel Review, May 1892, p. 155) . Her plots were rather less satisfactorily devised than her studies of character, which were usually subtly and powerfully portrayed. ”

“ In 1877 she achieved a notable success with her third novel, 'The First Violin.' The latter years of her life were spent chiefly abroad. She passed the winter of 1890-1 in Rome, and died at Berne on 28 July 1891. ”