page_title: Kate Marsden
section_title: Controversy
hierarchical_section_title: Kate Marsden / Controversy
caption_attribution_description: English: Kate Marsden leaving Yakutsk after visiting Siberian lepers. 1891
context_page_description: Kate Marsden was a British missionary, explorer, writer and nurse. Supported by Queen Victoria and Empress Maria Fedorovna she investigated a cure for leprosy. She set out on a round trip from Moscow to Siberia to find a cure, creating a leper treatment centre in Siberia. She returned to England and helped to found Bexhill Museum, but she was obliged to retire as a trustee. Marsden was dogged after her journey by homophobia: her finances were questioned as were her motives for her journey. Her accusers almost succeeded in making her sexuality the basis for an "Oscar Wilde"-type trial. She was however elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. She has a large diamond named after her and is still celebrated in Siberia, where a large memorial statue was erected at Sosnovka village in 2014.
context_section_description: Marsden's 2,000-mile (3,200 km) journey to Siberia to find a cure for leprosy did not bring her universal acclaim; she did not find the cure she had hoped for, and many found it difficult to believe that she had undertaken the journey she claimed. Moreover, there were rumours that Marsden's good works were undertaken to atone for her homosexuality. Although the Girl's Own Paper serialised her exploits and she was lauded by the Royal Geographical Society, accounts by William Thomas Stead held her accomplishments up for public derision. Stead is now thought of as an early tabloid journalist. His ideas were picked up in New Zealand, where Marsden had earlier lived.
  The Reverend Alexander Francis, an English-speaking pastor in St Petersburg, obtained a confession from Marsden of "immorality with women". Francis wrote that he also planned to publish material which would allege fraud by Marsden. This led to an investigation in Russia that cleared Marsden - dismissed by Francis as a "whitewash". A letter was also written by British and American diplomats to The Times to support her reputation in August 1894. 
  Marsden considered claiming libel damages against Francis. At this time, in early 1895 Oscar Wilde began his famous court battle with the Marquis of Queensbury, concerning Wilde's disputed homosexuality; Wilde lost and was ruined. Female homosexual activity was not illegal, but untrue accusations of it would certainly have seemed libellous. Marsden began a libel case, but did not proceed with her libel case because of insufficient funds.
  Marsden seems to have anticipated some disbelief in her deeds and motives in her book. Moreover, she included in her book letters from important people she met on her journey which led some to think that her motives were questionable. Some described the journey as a "pleasure trip".
  In 1893 Isabel Hapgood reviewed the book by Marsen describing her journey, and like others cast doubt on Marsden's efforts. It has been speculated that Hapgood may have been motivated by a feeling that Russia was her own particular area of expertise, or by homophobia.
caption: Marsden leaving Yakutsk in 1891
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