TO coincide with International Women’s Day, which was marked on March 8, Chawton House Library has launched a campaign to pay homage to the many talented women writers who have been neglected and forgotten throughout history.

In this the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, the library for early women writers is promoting ‘women’s writes’ which will each month feature a female writer whose work, with the passage of time, may have been forgotten.

Many are less aware that Jane Austen was one of a thriving community of early women writers. These included playwrights, novelists, poets, historians,and travel writers.

A library spokesman said: “Based in the ‘Great House’ once owned by Jane Austen’s brother Edward, and referred to in her letters, our library preserves and promotes early women’s writing. We also aim to inspire modern-day women writers by raising awareness of this unsung legacy.

“Some of the writers featured here were famous in their time but were then excised from history. Others were never even published. We hold unique manuscripts – such as novels, journals and account books – all of which give insights into women’s lives.”

The spokesman continued: “A recent study, published in the journal Science, showed that girls as young as six believe that genius is a male trait due to the influence of gender stereotypes.

“Referring to the study, Rebecca Bigler, professor of psychology at the University of Texas in Austin (who was not involved in the work but welcomed it), suggested that the stereotypes develop in early elementary school when students are exposed to famous scientists, composers and writers, the ‘geniuses’ of history, who are overwhelmingly men. Bigler said it is important to combine that knowledge with information on gender discrimination.

“We believe restoring these women writers to their rightful place in the history of literature is an important step in redressing the balance.

“Please help us to spread the word so that these ‘women’s writes’ are appreciated and preserved long into the future. Join the campaign by sharing your own favourite quotes and facts by women writers.”

Each month, the library will be choosing a woman writer to champion. The first of these will be Eliza Haywood, who produced 72 works of literature, including novels, plays, poems and essays.

Eliza is currently the subject of an exhibition entitled ‘Naming Shaming, Reclaiming: The ‘incomparable’ Eliza Haywood’ which runs until June 4.

The exhibition introduces one of the most infamous writers of the early 18th Century. As actress, playwright, novelist, periodical writer, mother, translator, publisher and agony aunt, Haywood had many different guises of her own making.

She also had to contend with the guises that others created for her – hack writer, prostitute, ‘cow-like’ scribbler, and ‘great arbitress of passion’ – and she often wrote about women’s ability to make and remake themselves.

Using rare editions of Haywood’s work currently held at Chawton House Library, the exhibition will present the many faces of Eliza Haywood, reconstructing her immensely productive career, illuminating the networks to which she belonged, and considering her reputation and her legacy, both within the 18th Century and today.

Access to this exhibition will be included in the price of visitor admission.