The story of the lives of Beatrice Webb and her eight sisters, the Potters, is an account of the reality behind the facade of the traditional Victorian and Edwardian family. The sisters formed a network of support for each other in society that was socially, legally and economically biased against women. The author draws on the large collection of letters and diaries left by the Potters to give an insight into Beatrice Webb herself. The author also illustrates the general pattern of life for Victorian women of the upper middle class, their childhood and schooling, their entry into society, their marriage and motherhood, their public activities and their old age.