She took the nom de plume of Magpie and, like all the members of the society, tried to write two essays each week, with the best circulated to the membership.
[1] In 1869, the family governess was ill and their father wrote to the Christ Church sisterhood at Coatham, led by Sister Dora.
[1] In 1880, she attracted the attention of Florence Nightingale, who had become embroiled in a piece Lonsdale had written concerning Guy's Hospital.
Nightingale was unimpressed by her biography of Sister Dora because it showed a poor understanding of nursing procedures.
[1] Lonsdale then wrote a polemic against famous women leaders, especially those who chose to put themselves on a "platform" to push their particular agendas.