Born King's Lynn, Norfolk, father was Dr Charles Burney. Diarist, novelist: Evelina (1778), Cecelia (1782), Camilla (1796) and playwright. Her first novel, Evelina, was a big success and she entered literary society becoming good friends with Samuel Johnson. She became a member of the royal court, as an attendant to Queen Charlotte, 1786 - 1791, during which she witnessed one of King George III's first major periods of mental illness. When she left she was given a life-long pension and remained friends with the royal family. In 1793 married Alexandre D'Arblay, an exile from France. They returned to Paris and while there Fanny suffered a mastectomy without anaesthetic, which she then wrote about in horrific detail in a letter to her sister. In France 1802 - 1812 but returned to England with her son to avoid him being conscripted. She met Louis XVIII while they were both in London. When Napoleon escaped from Elba in 1815 she was in Paris and only just escaped as he entered. She was in Brussels in 1815 during the Battle of Waterloo. She then returned to England and lived in Bath and London for the rest of her life, dying at 29 Lower Grosvenor Street, Mayfair. Certainly not a dull life.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Frances (Fanny) Burney
Commemorated ati
Sir Isaac Newton's house- detailed
plaque inside building at top of stairway directly facing entrance
Other Subjects
George du Maurier
Artist and writer. Born Paris. Punch cartoonist. 1894 wrote the novel Trilby, from which comes the term "Svengali". In Hampstead lived at 4 Holly Mount, moved to Gangmoor House facing Whitestone P...
Person, Art, Humour, Literature, France
James Anthony Froude
Historian. novelist and biographer. Born at Dartington Rectory, Devon. He intended to become a clergyman, but his doubts expressed in his novel 'The Nemesis of Faith' changed his mind and he turned...
Tabard Inn
Set up by an abbot from Winchester to give his brethren somewhere to stay in London and to provide accomodation to pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, in particular Chaucer's pilgrims, who set off...
Earl of Ellesmere, Francis Egerton
Politician, poet, founding trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. One of the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition, 1951. Born 21 Arlington Street, Piccadilly. Died Bridgewater House, London. ...
Person, Literature, Museums / Libraries, Poetry, Politics & Administration
George Lillie Craik
Born Kennoway, Fife. Literary scholar and writer. Created professor of English literature and history at Queen’s College, Belfast in 1849. Buried at Holywood, near Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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William Caxton
Probably born Tenterden, Kent. Printer, in 1474, producing the first book printed in English "The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye". Died Westminster.
Dylan Thomas
Poet. Born at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea, which is now a themed holiday rental. Died at St Vincents Hospital, in New York City during a lecture tour of the United States. He is buried at Laugharne,...
Christmas cards
The first card was designed by John Horsley. The Mail has some pictures of early Christmas cards.
Worcester House - Strand
Used to be on the Savoy Hotel and Theatre site. Not to be confused with Worcester House - City.
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