ylvia Hornsby studied architecture in Brighton and gained her Diploma in Architecture in the 1970s. After working in Brighton and London, and raising a family, she returned to study English Literature with the Open University, continuing her studies at Canterbury Christchurch University. She had been drawn to George Meredith while researching male writers who expressed empathy for women, and her interest in the man and his writing became an obsession. After completing her MA, she was awarded her PhD in 2024 for her thesis: "Moving through Uncertainty with George Meredith."
Sylvia's fascination for Meredith and his work continues, and she is currently writing a series of short essays emphasising close readings, which expand on different aspects of her doctoral thesis.
Created 20 March 2026