Although women are often seen as "hidden from history," this book unveils the personal experiences of the wives, mothers, and sisters of Victorian and Edwardian politicians. Drawing on rich new evidence from correspondence and diaries, Jalland examines the lives of women in more than fifty British political families, recounting their experiences of courtship, marriage, and childbirth and the vital domestic and political functions they performed. With its numerous case studies and intimate approach to women's lives, this book is a welcome complement to the better known public history of women and the women's movement.