Person    | Female  Born 1734  Died 1808

Lady Diana Beauclerk

Categories: Art, Other

Lady Diana Spencer was born in 1735, the eldest child of the third Duke of Marlborough. She was expected to follow a traditional path through life: educated in the fashion considered suitable for a girl, and married to a man of the appropriate rank for a duke's daughter. However, Lady Di overturned convention. She left her husband, pursued a secret relationship with Topham Beauclerk, hid the birth of an illegitimate child, was divorced, remarried and eventually had to earn her living by painting.

This text came from the same web site as the picture.

Her designs were used by Wedgwood.

The Museum of London holds a 1797 large sculptural frieze, known as the Pelican figures, that used to be high up on the facade of an insurance building in Lombard Street. This was designed by Lady Diana.

There is a book about this lady : Improper Pursuits: The Scandalous Life of Lady Di Beauclerk, Author: Carola Hicks.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Lady Diana Beauclerk

Commemorated ati

The Adelphi

The Adelphi This building stands on the site of Adelphi Terrace built by the...

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Topham & Lady Diana Beauclerk

Here lived Topham Beauclerk. Born 1739. Died 1780. Lady Diana Beauclerk. ...

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Other Subjects

Paul Sandby

Paul Sandby

Water-colour painter. Probably born in Nottingham.  1742 joined the Ordnance office at the Tower of London as a military draughtsman.   Engaged for 5 years in the military survey of Scotland.  Back...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Charles Keeping

Charles Keeping

Illustrator. Born Charles William James Keeping in Lambeth. Initially he worked as an illustrator of children's books, and then undertook for the Folio Society, the massive task of illustrating all...

Person, Art

1 memorial
David Cox

David Cox

Landscape painter.  Born near Birmingham. Came to London in 1804 as a theatre scenery painter.  He was a teacher and wrote some influential instruction books.  A very successful water colour painte...

Person, Art

2 memorials
Grafitti Life
1 memorial
David Rhys Jones

David Rhys Jones

Trained at Central Saint Martins. His website.

Person, Art

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Sir Arthur Blomfield

Sir Arthur Blomfield

Architect, born Arthur Wiliam Blomfield, at Fulham Palace, the son of the Bishop of London. Specialised in church architecture, e.g. St Mary's Parish Hall, Crawford Street. Also designed the Royal ...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Frances Mary Yeates

Frances Mary Yeates

Baptised in Horton 17 December 1833 daughter of William Wlllson Yeates. See there for information about her family. Buried in St Michaels churchyard Horton,2 January 1835.

Person, Children, Friend / family

1 memorial
Heritage Foundation

Heritage Foundation

We believe this group now encompasses Comic Heritage, Musical Heritage, Sports Heritage and Films and Television Heritage. Its aim is to pay tribute to Britain's entertainers and raise funds for go...

Group, Cinema, History, Humour, Music / songs, Sport / Games, Theatre, TV & Radio

64 memorials
BBC History Project

BBC History Project

A 2016 BB2 television series called Black and British - A Forgotten History, traced the history of black people in Britain. Following on from this, a series of plaques are being erected around Brit...

Media, Community / Clubs, TV & Radio

3 memorials
Sir Hamo Thornycroft

Sir Hamo Thornycroft

Sculptor. Born William Hamo Thornycroft (but the William is normally dropped) at 39 Stanhope Street, Regent's Park.   Son of sculptors Thomas and Mary Thornycroft.  Studied at the Royal Academy Sch...

Person, Sculpture

8 memorials