The third stop focuses on Lucy Lorimer. Lucy seems to be very practical, but she also seems to be the most determined. Specifically, in relation to themes surrounding feminism, Lucy epitomizes the idea of a “new woman”, generally acting as a woman ahead of her time. She is referred to as “a young girl of about twenty years of age; fair, slight, upright as a dart, with a glance at once alert and serene.” (Levy ch. I). Eventually, she finds herself getting married to Frank, who is highly compatible regarding her and the rest of her sisters’ endeavors. This leads to the third stop: St. Columb Minor. This stop refers to where Frank and his parents are from. It is significant because of the relationship between Lucy and Frank as well as the events surrounding them.
St. Columb Minor is located on the north coast of Cornwall, and Cornwall is a county located in the southwest of England. Physically, it is known for its countryside and for being surrounded by the sea (Augustyn). Frank refers to it as "the sea a mass of sapphire with the great downs rolling towards it” (Levy ch. XII). St. Columb Minor became an important part of Great Britain around the end of the 1700s and soon was greatly impacted by the industrial revolution, however it dates back to the 11th century (Miller). Industrialized communities began to grow around this time (McLean), which could be seen as a parallel to the social progressiveness and a woman’s role in the workforce, as seen in The Romance of a Shop.
In relation to The Romance of a Shop, Frank is from St. Columb Minor in Cornwall. Frank has an important role in the development of the photography business, specifically when he had invited the Lorimer sisters over to meet many of his acquaintances and friends. These people would open the doors to more opportunities that would aid in monopolizing the business. While doing so, he remains at ease with the endeavors of the Lorimer sisters as they pursue such uncommon goals for the time. This circles us back to Lucy, who is very passionate about the business; he sees the progressiveness in Lucy regarding women’s roles during the time, and he views that very positively. In reference to Frank, “No one quite knew how it came about, but before a month had gone by, it became the most natural thing in the world for Frank to drop in upon them at unexpected hours, to share their simple meals, to ask and give advice about their respective work.” (Levy ch. VII). He was highly supportive of their work despite it being out of the ordinary.
Fortunately for Lucy after receiving bad news about the possible death of Frank, he returns to London, and they marry. They remain in London and start a family while Lucy continues to work. This ties back into the theme of feminism and the “new woman” because generally, the woman was the one who resided with the man in his home. However, Lucy and Frank shared the opposite outcome, emphasizing just how much Lucy epitomized the “new woman” and what that made St. Columb Minor to both her and Frank in terms of social progressiveness.
Work Cited
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Levy, A. (2022). The Romance of a Shop. Mint Editions.
McLean, J. (n.d.). History of Western Civilization II. Urbanization | History of Western Civilization II. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-
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