| Administrative History | Frances Elizabeth Harpur, nee Greville, was born in 1744 in London, daughter of Francis Greville and Elizabeth Hamilton. She maintained a lengthy correspondence with her first cousin, Mary Dickenson, nee Hamilton: some letters are at D2375/F/G/2/1 and others are in the John Rylands Library at the University of Manchester. This correspondence includes observations of Emma, Lady Hamilton (1765-1815), who became the wife of Frances Harpur's uncle, Sir William Hamilton, after having earlier been associated with Charles Greville, Frances Harpur's brother. Emma Hamilton is best remembered as the mistress of Lord Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). Letters from Frances Harpur to her brother Robert Fulke Greville survive at Warwickshire Record Office. Following her husband's death in 1789 Frances Harpur had a house built at 35 Park Street, Mayfair, London. Later correspondence indicates that she spent time at other addresses in London, including Great Cumberland Street, and at Lavington House, Duncton, Sussex. Frances Harpur died at the rectory in Beckenham, Kent in 1825 and was buried at Calke. Her will is held at The National Archives at Kew. |