Elinor Mordaunt

Who was Elinor Mordaunt?

Elinor Mordaunt was an English author, writer and traveller.

Elinor was the fifth child of John Legh Clowes and his wife the Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Caroline Clowes née Bingham and was born at Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, England and was christened Evelyn May Clowes. Her early childhood was spent at Charlton House near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and her teenage years near Heythrop, in the Cotswolds. In 1897 she went to Mauritius as companion to her cousin Caroline and in 1898 married a planter there named Wiehe. She gave birth to two stillborn children. After a few years of marriage, Mrs Wiehe found it impossible to live with her husband and returned to England. Shortly afterwards she went to Australia, arriving 10 June 1902 and lived at Melbourne for about eight years. Her son, Godfrey Weston Wiehe, was born 9 March 1903.

It was necessary for Mordaunt to earn a living and while in Melbourne she edited a woman's fashion paper, wrote short stories and articles, made blouses, designed embroideries–and gardens, acted as a housekeeper, and did artistic work. Her health was not strong, but she undertook any kind of work which would provide a living for herself and her infant son. At times she had a hard struggle, but she gained an experience of life which was of the greatest use to her as an author.