![[Header#^header-embed]] > [!SUMMARY] > Hester Maria THRALE was the first-born child of father [[Henry Thrale]] and mother [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester Lynch Salusbury]]. She was named after her grandmother [[Hester Maria Salusbury nee Cotton|Hester Maria Salusbury]]. > > ![[hester-maria-elphinstone-1822-by-saunders.jpg]] > <div class="caption">Hester Maria Keith née Thrale, 1822 by Saunders.</div> ## Birth Hester Maria THRALE was born in [[Brewery House, Borough|Brewery House]] on Sunday 17 September 1764. ## Christening She was christened on Sunday 24 September 1764 at Saint Saviour's Church (now Southwark Cathedral) by Reverend James Evans. Her godparents were: - grandmother [[Hester Maria Salusbury nee Cotton]]; - aunt [Susanna Nesbitt née Thrale](https://thrale.com/sites/all/libraries/tng/getperson.php?personID=I86&tree=tree01); and - 5-year-old cousin [[Sir John Lade#Sir John Lade (younger)|Sir John Lade]]. ![[hester-maria-thrale-at-20-months-with-belle-by-zoffany.png]] <div class="caption">Hester Maria Thrale aged 20 months with pet dog Belle, by Johan Zoffany, 1766.</div> ## Nicknames Hester Maria was sometimes known as: - Queeney - Nig - Niggy - Tit - Birdey - Hetty - Sweeting. Dr. Samuel Johnson affectionately called her 'Sweeting' and gave her a [cabinet for the storage of curios](http://www.thrale.com/image/queeneys_cabinet). ## Childhood Hester Maria was 17 years old. when her [[Henry Thrale]] died and 20 years old. seven when her [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|mother]] remarried. ### Education She is also characterised as being a child prodigy and was immensely tutored. Aged four, Queeney was already studying the dramatic structures of the _[Iliad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliad)_. > [!QUOTE] [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury\|Her mother]] wrote … > Doctor Johnson has undertaken to teach my eldest Daughter **Latin** and has actually undertaken & begun his Work. > > [[Fanny Burney]], Author of [Evelina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelina) is to learn with her of the same Master — [[Henry Thrale|Mr Thrale]] says it is better to teach each of them than a Thousand pounds added to their Fortune. > > Dear Creatures! How earnestly do I wish them Success! they love one another and will improve by studying together—what a Master they have too! > > Happy Rogues!— ![[queeney_by_joshua_reynolds_1781.jpg]] <div class="caption">Hester Maria Thrale by Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1781.</div> In 1776 Queeney wrote her [[first verses]]. > [!QUOTE] In July 1779 [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|her mother]] wrote in [[Thraliana]]… > Queeney produced a mock-solemn covenant, headed; > > > Streatham December the 8th at night, 1774;, > > signed by Hester with her full name and her seal, and witnessed by > > > Sam. Johnson, LL.D;, > > and > > > Hester Lynch Thrale; > > … in which she promises to work for two full hours at her Italian every day as [[The library and Streatham Worthies#10. Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti - painted 1773|Mr. Barretti]] shall instruct her. > > > And I promise further, that, whether I am in good humour or out of humour, I will be in earnest and very attentive to my lesson, as if I were in the very best humour, nor will I look about me with a vacant and weary countenance, so that the said Mr. Barretti (alias Taskmaster) shall have no reason, no, not the least shadow of a reason to complain of my disattention, unwillin(gn)ness, and reluctance. Barretti left [[Streatham Park|Streatham]] a month later. Hester Maria Thrale is known to have studied Hebrew from around 1798. ^029557 Hester wrote to her mother on 21 June 1805 that she would never have dared to learn Hebrew if she had not been told that: > the Illeterate and Itinerant Preachers of Methodism up & down, all study Hebrew, to torment the clergy. She is also known to have studied Italian. ![[hester_and_queeney_thrale_by_joshua_reynolds_in_1777_to_1778.jpg]] <div class="caption">Hester Lynch and Hester Maria 'Queeney' Thrale in 1777/8 by Sir Joshua Reynolds.</div> ## Birthdays ### 16th birthday, 1780 > [!QUOTE] On Queeney's 16th birthday in 1780, her mother [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|her mother]] wrote in [[Thraliana]] … > It is this day given me by God to see my first born offspring, my dear Hester,—sixteen Years old— virtuous in Heart, prudent in Behaviour, pleasing in Person, & accomplished in Knowledge. > > What more would I have! & yet I often catch myself complaining.—Oh God forgive my foolish repining Spirit; and give me Grace to be thankful for, & to enjoy the Blessings I do not deserve. > > We always have a Dance on her Birthday for the Servants, and they shall have it this Year too—in spite of past Sorrows. Mr Johnson's Birthday is the next day to hers, & we keep them together, &. fill the [[Streatham Park#Samuel Johnson’s summer house|Summer House]] with Food, Fiddles &c, today being Sunday, the **Balls** must be tomorrow & Tuesday. > > Sure nothing will ever happen that will keep me from rejoycing on the 17: & 18: of September, the Birthdays of my Daughter & my Friend.,—. ### 17th birthday, 1781 > [!QUOTE] On Queeney's 17th birthday in 1780, her mother [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|her mother]] wrote in [[Thraliana]] … > > Oh Lord accept my grateful and Heartfelt Thanks for having lived to see her attain this proximity to Womanhood, & permanent Duration. She is however still delicate in her Health I think, & mightily tormanted with Worms. > > ![[queeney_thrale_at_17.png]] > <div class="caption">Hester Maria Thrale 1781 aged 17.</div> ### 39th birthday, 1803 > [!QUOTE] On Queeney's 39th birthday 17 September 1803, her mother [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|her mother]] wrote in [[Thraliana]] … > Here is Miss Thrale's Birthday come round again, the weather beautiful, & I hope my heart grateful for having lived to see my eldest child 39 years old—& just now not unkind at all— > > She has written once or twice this year, & in the last Letters some Compassion was exprss'd fo [[Gabriel Piozzi|Mr Piozzi's]] Sufferings—They are indeed very great—Well! > > God bless her, & him. ## Characteristics Her mother's entries in her diary indicate that they did not get along and that Queeney bore little affection for her mother. Hester Maria was described as smart and shy but cold and proud. Both Queeney and [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester]] were dear close friends with [[Fanny Burney]]. > [!QUOTE] In August 1778, Fanny Burney first visited Streatham. She wrote: > Miss Thrale[^1] is a very fine girl, about fourteen years of age, but cold and reserved, though full of knowledge and intelligence. ![[queeneys_cabinet_from_samuel_johnson.png]] <div class="caption">Hester Maria Thrale's cabinet, a gift from Dr Samuel Johnson.</div> > [!QUOTE] On 1 January 1782, in 1780, her mother [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|her mother]] wrote in [[Thraliana]] … > I was reading something of [Swift](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swift) one Day & commending him as a Writer— > > > I cannot endure Swift > > … replied my eldest Daughter … > > > every thing of his seems to be **Froth** I think, and that Froth is **dirty**. > > She is a prudent Child indeed, I would wish to consult her on every occasion: so much sound Judgment, so little Vanity, such proper Notions of this World, & such Aspiration after a better have I yet never seen in a Creature of her Age: > > The Marquis of Caermarthen son to the present [Duke of Leeds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Leeds), & elder Brother to. I this **Cuckoldly Marquis**, appeared to me to be the Person most resembling her for Perfections of Body & Mind:—beautiful, pious, wise and well accomplished was the late Lord Caermarthen. > > Hester is however deficient enough in the _petite morale_: not caressing, not even _attentively_polite; never appearing pleased either with herself or Companions, She will not I fancy be a sought-for Character. Samuel Johnson was devoted to Queeney and referred to her in a 1771 letter as: > Sweet, dear, pretty, little Miss. Johnson followed Queeney's life with affectionate interest and anxious concern. Queeney was the subject of Beryl Bainbridge's excellent book, [[history/uk-thrale/streatham-and-southwark/According to Queeney|According to Queeney]]. ## Marriage Queeney first met [Viscount Admiral George Keith of Elphinstone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Keith_Elphinstone%2C_1st_Viscount_Keith) in 1796. She was married on Saturday 10 January 1808, aged 43 years. She was Keith's second wife. They lived in: - [Tulliallan Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulliallan_Castle) and <iframe width="100%" height="350" src="https://www.openstreetmap.org/export/embed.html?bbox=-3.7154227495193486%2C56.07375108198065%2C-3.7082880735397343%2C56.07619112894958&amp;layer=mapnik&amp;marker=56.07497112477694%2C-3.711855411529541" style="border: 1px solid black"></iframe><br/><small><a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=56.07497&amp;mlon=-3.71186#map=18/56.07497/-3.71186">View Larger Map</a></small> - 110 Piccadilly, London. <iframe width="100%" height="350" src="https://www.openstreetmap.org/export/embed.html?bbox=-0.14851927757263186%2C51.50433003666309%2C-0.14495193958282473%2C51.50569070426603&amp;layer=mapnik&amp;marker=51.50501121030878%2C-0.14673560857772827" style="border: 1px solid black"></iframe><br/><small><a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=51.50501&amp;mlon=-0.14674#map=19/51.50501/-0.14674">View Larger Map</a></small> Keith is said to have made more in prize money than any other naval officer. ![[Admiral-George-Keith-Elphinstone_by_George_Sanders.jpg]] <div class="caption">Admiral George Keith Elphinstone by George Sanders.</div> Hester Lynch Thrale wrote of Admiral Elphinstone in her Thraliana in November 1796 - even though she could not have known that she was writing of her future son-in-law Admiral George Keith Elphinstone who was responsible for trapping the Dutch Fleet in [Saldanha Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saldanha_Bay) on 19 August 1796. > [!QUOTE] Her mother [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|her mother]] wrote in November 1796 in [[Thraliana]] … > Our capture of the whole Dutch Fleet at once without firing a Gun is a great event indeed. > [!QUOTE] Again she wrote on 7 October 1804 … > Good News! great News! we have got at the French & drubb'd them heartily: Again the victory was Lord Keith's, this time over the French fleet in Boulogne harbour between 2 and 3 October 1804. ### Children Her only child was a daughter, The Honorable Georgina Augusta Henrietta Keith. Georgina was married twice: 1. Hon. [Augustus John Villiers (1810-1847)](http://www.thepeerage.com/p3069.htm#i30690), son of the [Earl of Jersey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Child_Villiers,_5th_Earl_of_Jersey), and 2. Lord [William Godolphin Osborne](http://www.thepeerage.com/p3070.htm#i30693), brother of the [eighth Duke of Leeds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Osborne,_8th_Duke_of_Leeds). Georgina was the last direct descendant of [[Henry Thrale]], as she died childless in 1892. ## Charitable almshouse ![[Charitable Almshouses#^almshouses-embed]] ## Death She died on Tuesday 31 March 1857 at 93 years of age at 110 Piccadilly, London. She lived the longest of the children. ### Burial She was buried in Keith Mausoleum, Overton Kirkyard, Tulliallan, Fife, Scotland. ## Family tree Her full family tree, including: - [parents and siblings](https://www.thrale.com/sites/all/libraries/tng/getperson.php?personID=I94&tree=tree01) - [spouse, partners and children](https://www.thrale.com/sites/all/libraries/tng/familychart.php?familyID=F46&tree=tree01) ## See also ![[hester-maria-thrale-1764-1857🔎#^hester-maria-thrale-infoblock]] ![[hester-lynch-thrale-1741-1821🔎#^hester-lynch-thrale-infoblock]]![[henry-thrale-1724-1781🔎#^henry-thrale-infoblock]]![[samuel-johnson-1709-1784🔎#^samuel-johnson-infoblock]] #history/place/england/surrey/southwark/st-saviours-church #history/person/BARETTI/giuseppe-marc-antonio-born-1719 #history/person/BURNEY/frances-born-1752 #history/person/COTTON/hester-maria-born-1707 #history/person/JOHNSON/samuel-born-1709 #history/person/KEITH/george-born-1746 #history/person/KEITH/georgina-augusta-henrietta-born-1809 #history/person/LADE/john-born-1759 #history/person/PIOZZI/gabriel-mario-born-before-1740 #history/person/SALUSBURY/hester-lynch-born-1741 #history/person/THRALE/henry-born-1724-1730 #history/person/THRALE/hester-maria-born-1764 #history/person/THRALE/susannah-died-1789 #history/person/VILLIERS/augustus-john-born-1804 #history/person/VILLIERS/augustus-john-born-1810 #history/place/scotland/tulliallan/overton-kirkyard ![[Footer#^footer-embed]] [^1]: [[Hester Maria Thrale|Queeney]]