A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains

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Isabella Lucy Bird, married name Bishop FRGS (1831-1904), was a pioneering English explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist. Alongside Fanny Jane Butler, she co-founded the John Bishop Memorial hospital in Srinagar and was the first woman elected as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Born in Yorkshire, Bird's early life was marked by frequent relocations due to her father's clerical career and health issues. She was outspoken from a young age, famously questioning a local MP during his campaign. Her father's controversial views on Sunday labor led to conflicts with his congregation, prompting further moves, including to Birmingham, where he faced hostility. Despite her frail health, including a spinal complaint and insomnia, Bird was encouraged to embrace an outdoor lifestyle, learning to ride and row early on. Her education was informal, provided by her parents, with her father nurturing her interest in botany and her mother offering a diverse curriculum. Bird's keen intelligence and curiosity about the world around her ensured that she would not be confined by the strict evangelical environment of her upbringing.