Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Robinson, Martha Walker

by Elizabeth Lee

ROBINSON, Mrs. MARTHA WALKER (1822–1888), writer on French history under her maiden name of Freer, daughter of John Booth Freer, M.D., was born at Leicester in 1822. Her first book, ‘Life of Marguerite d'Angoulême, Queen of Navarre, Duchesse d'Alençon, and De Berry, Sister of Francis I,’ appeared in 1854, in two volumes. In 1861 she married the Rev. John Robinson, rector of Widmerpool, near Nottingham, but all her works bear her maiden name. She continued publishing books dealing with French history until 1866. She died on 14 July 1888. Her works are mere compilations, although she claimed to have had access to manuscripts and other unpublished material. Although inferior in style and arrangement to the books of Julia Pardoe [q. v.] on similar subjects, they enjoyed for a time wide popularity. Two of them, ‘Marguerite d'Angoulême’ and ‘Jeanne d'Albret’ (1855), reached second editions. Mrs. Robinson died on 14 July 1888.

Her other works are:

1. ‘Elizabeth de Valois, Queen of Spain and the Court of Philip II,’ 2 vols. 1857.
2. ‘Henry III, King of France and Poland: his Court and Times,’ 3 vols. 1858.
3. ‘History of the Reign of Henry IV, King of France and Navarre,’ part i. 2 vols. 1860; part ii. 2 vols. 1861; part iii. 2 vols. 1863.
4. ‘The Married Life of Anne of Austria and Don Sebastian,’ 2 vols. 1864.
5. ‘The Regency of Anne of Austria,’ 2 vols. 1866.

[Allibone's Dictionary, ii. 1839; Athenæum, 1888.]

E. L.