The Story of Anna Sewell and Black Beauty

Anna Sewell is Norfolk’s most successful novelist, and her incredible creation ‘Black Beauty’ has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, inspiring a wonderfully nostalgic television series not to mention countless other TV and film adaptations. 

The story of Black Beauty is a beautiful tale of patience and courage in adversity and has so much to say about animal welfare issues, and in many ways, Anna Sewell’s own story mirrors that of her timeless creation. 

Who was Anna Sewell?

Anna Sewell was born in March 1820 in the coastal town of Great Yarmouth. Her family moved her to London when she was just a year old, and it was there in the city that she first encountered horses as a central part of day-to-day life. 

Amongst all the hustle and bustle, she would often witness their hard lives and mistreatment. One day in her early teens, Anna had an accident on the way home from school, leaving her with severe mobility issues. As a result, she increasingly relied on horses to navigate the world and as her mother said, ‘She learned all their secrets.’ 

In 1871, Anna began work on what she called her ‘little novel’, crafting it over six years, sometimes dictating it from her sick bed when she was too poorly to write herself. In 1877, ‘Black Beauty’ was published by Jarrolds of Norwich, the powerful story of a horse which sparked a global conversation about animal welfare. Sadly, Anna passed away in April 1878 and never saw the incredible success of the book or the impact it had on horses the world over. It remains one of the biggest selling books of all time.

Ahead of her time

In the 21st century, Redwings is still working to educate people on many of the insights and ideas that Anna Sewell was promoting back in 1877. Even without access to the scientific research and technological advances that we have now, Anna still managed to gain incredibly accurate understanding of how life looks and feels to horses, simply through her observation, experience, awareness and empathy. 

Some of the knowledge and horse care practices in Black Beauty have inevitably become outdated in the many decades since the book was written. But there are almost endless references to issues that are not only applicable today, but often seen as ‘new’ in many ways.