A. Garland Mears

Amelia Garland Mears (1842–1920), who published as A. Garland Mears, was an Irish novelist. Her work dealt with issues such as gender equality, sexist attitudes and sexual harassment. Mears was also referred to as "finding new ground in sci-fi for over 100 years".

Early life and family

Amelia Garland Mears was born in Freshford, County Kilkenny in 1842. Mears lived in the town land Freshford Lots in the Crannagh Barony. She was one of five children, with two older sisters, Elizabeth and Jane, an older brother John and a younger brother Charles. Mears's parents' "ancestors came over to Britain with William the conqueror". The Garland family left Ireland and moved to Liverpool around 1848. Mears spent much of her life in the north of England. The family moved to Dronfield, Derbyshire, as her father, John Garland, secured a job there. He was the second master of the grammar school Dronfield, near Sheffield for 25 years. He died on 1 December 1878 and was the author of many unpublished poems.

Amelia married Edward Mears in West Hartlepool Merchant, Durham on 22 February in 1864. Edward Mears was a hardware man, jeweller, and a dealer in toys and fancy goods. He was born in 1825 and originally from York and was the son of John Mears and Elizabeth Reynalds. They had three children: Edward, born in 1865, Amelia Mary, born in 1868, and Edith Jane Mears, born in 1869. Mears's son Edward obtained high class Latin honours in school while still in his teens.

Mears spent a lot of time in the Dronfield Public Library and also attended science and literature classes through the Cambridge University Extension Scheme. Mears and her husband were both awarded certificates at the Cambridge and Durham University local lectures for a distinction in electricity in 1883. The family lived on 22 Lynn Street in Hartlepool, Stranton Durham. They had a servant, Elizabeth L. Hist, who was later charged with stealing a pair of Ms. Mears' stockings in 1894; the family did not press charges however In later life, Mears moved to Leeds.