The daughter of a Sheffield saw manufacturer Barbara Wreakes was married to Thomas Bradshaw Hoole a succesful merchant.On his early death and with the support of James Montgomery, she published a volume of poems which attracted over 2000 subscribers* enabling her to open a boarding-school at Harrogate. With her second husband, the Sheffield painter Thomas Hofland, [ "Sheffield from Crooksmoor" and " Sheffield from Meersbook" both issued as prints in 1826] she settled in London and began publishing novels.It was in Harrogate that she wrote The Clergyman's Widow [1812 ] which was a great success selling 17,000 copies. An interesting copy with Holbeck connections in a sound contemporary quarter leather binding. Engraved Frontispiece and titlepage 16mo. 176pps inscribed by Richard and Susannah Tuer of Holbeck 1841 with typographical bookplate. NB * A copy of the First Edition of Barbara Hoole's Poems is also available.