22 Facts About Florence Deeks

Florence Amelia Deeks was a Canadian teacher and writer.

Florence Deeks is known for accusing British writer H G Wells of having plagiarized her work when he wrote The Outline of History.

Florence Amelia Deeks was born in 1864 and grew up in Morrisburg, Canada West, in a religious family.

Florence Deeks's mother, Melinda, was a strong believer in education.

Florence Deeks provided important financial support to his family, including Florence during the later legal trials.

When Florence was thirty she was admitted to Victoria College in the University of Toronto.

Florence Deeks studied there for several years, then became a teacher at the Presbyterian Ladies College.

Florence Deeks probably joined the Women's Art Association of Canada in the mid-1890s, although the first record of her membership is from 1903.

Florence Deeks was active in other women's groups and was the recording secretary for the Toronto women's Liberal Club.

Florence Deeks decided to write a history of the world that showed the contributions that women had made.

Florence Deeks's aim was to demonstrate the importance of women such as Lucrezia de' Medici, Elizabeth I of England and Margarethe, mother of Martin Luther.

Florence Deeks spent four years researching and writing, with the support of her mother, sisters and brother.

Florence Deeks submitted it to Macmillan Company in Canada, asking if they would object to her using extracts from A Short History of the English People, a book for which they held the copyright.

Florence Deeks entrusted the manuscript to Macmillan in August 1918, and it was returned to her in April 1919.

Florence Deeks was interested in applying the same methods of textual analysis and comparison he used in his studies of ancient literature.

Florence Deeks considered that there was convincing proof of plagiarism.

Florence Deeks claimed breach of copyright, but in substance she was claiming breach of confidence in the use of her manuscript without consent.

Florence Deeks sued Wells and Macmillan for damages of $500,000 in the Supreme Court of Ontario.

Florence Deeks then appealed to the Appellate Division of the Ontario Supreme Court, appearing on her own behalf without a lawyer.

Florence Deeks finally appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, the final court of appeal in the British Empire.

Florence Deeks stated that evidence presented on the basis of literary criticism is not admissible in a court of law, and upheld the decisions of the lower courts.

Florence Deeks concludes she had a weak case, and the courts would give a similar result if the case came forward at the present time.