Born: 12 August 1880, United Kingdom
Died: 7 October 1943
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe Hall
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe Hall was a distinguished English poet and author renowned for her pioneering novel, “The Well of Loneliness,” a groundbreaking position in lesbian literature. During her mature years, Hall frequently adopted the name, John, preferring it over Marguerite.
Radclyffe Hall is famed for “The Well of Loneliness,” her foremost work and sole novel explicitly exploring lesbian themes. Published in 1928, it follows Stephen Gordon, a masculine lesbian akin to Hall, portraying lesbian experiences empathetically.
While non-explicit, the book faced a UK obscenity trial, leading to the ordered destruction of copies. In the US, publication followed a prolonged legal battle.