Theodosia Monson, Baroness Monson of Burton ''(née'' Blacker; b. 23 July 1803,

Warkworth, Northumberland Warkworth is a village in Northumberland, England. It is probably best known for its well-preserved medieval castle, church and hermitage. The population of Warkworth was 1,493 in 2001, increasing to 1,574 at the 2011 Census. The village is s ...

, d. 3 July 1891,

Malvern Wells Malvern Wells is a village and civil parish south of Great Malvern in the Malvern Hills district of Worcestershire, England. The parish, once known as South Malvern, was formed in 1894 from parts of the civil parishes of Hanley Castle, Welland, ...

, Worcestershire) was a promoter of women's rights, horsewoman, atheist and landscape painter. According to Sharon Marcus, she was the last companion of

Matilda Hays Matilda Mary Hays (8 September 1820 – 3 July 1897) was a 19th-century English writer, journalist and part-time actress. With Elizabeth Ashurst, Hays translated several of George Sand's works into English. She co-founded the '' English Woman's ...

Biography

Theodosia Blacker was born on 23 July 1803 at

, the fifth and youngest daughter of Major Latham Blacker (1765–1846) of Drogheda, Ireland, and subsequently of Newent, Gloucestershire, and Catherine Maddison (1769–1823). Her paternal grandparents were Latham Blacker (c. 1711 – post 1765) and Martha Beaver (died 1802). Her maternal grandfather was Colonel George Maddison of Lincolnshire. She had one sister, Catherine Blacker Onslow. She married Frederick John Monson, 5th Baron Monson of Burton (1809–1841) on 21 June 1832 at

St James's Church, Piccadilly St James's Church, Piccadilly, also known as St James's Church, Westminster, and St James-in-the-Fields, is an Anglican church on Piccadilly in the centre of London, United Kingdom. The church was designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren. Th ...

in Westminster, London. Blacker took the name Monson and was styled as Baroness Monson of Burton. The married couple lived together for less than a week.When Romeo Was a Woman: Charlotte Cushman and Her Circle of Female Spectators.
Lisa Merrill, pg 293, U. Mich. " . . . 1803–91 . . . ardent feminist . . . Born Theodosia Blacker . . . lived with ord Monsonfor less than a week. . . . friend of Anna Jameson, who similarly identified herself as an advocate for women . . ." She was a friend of

Anna Jameson Anna Brownell Jameson (17 May 179417 March 1860) was an Anglo-Irish art historian. Born in Ireland, she migrated to England at the age of four, becoming a well-known British writer and contributor to nineteenth-century thought on a range of su ...

and the married poets

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Elizabeth Barrett Browning (née Moulton-Barrett; 6 March 1806 – 29 June 1861) was an English poet of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States during her lifetime. Born in County Durham, the eldest of 12 children, Elizabe ...

and

Robert Browning Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentary, historical settin ...

. She was the last companion of

(1820–1897), writer, journalist and part-time actress. In December 1859, Baroness Monson rented and furnished a building as a meeting place in central London for like-minded women, a counterpart to the gentlemen's clubs that were then so popular. 19 Langham Place had a committee room, a reading room and a coffee shop open from 11am to 10pm. It served as an office for one of the first organisations of British women, the

Society for Promoting the Employment of Women The Society for Promoting the Employment of Women (SPEW) was one of the earliest British women's organisations. The society was established in 1859 by Jessie Boucherett, Barbara Bodichon and Adelaide Anne Proctor to promote the training and emp ...

and its publication the '' English Woman's Journal''. In 1860, it became "The Ladies Institute" managed by

Sarah Lewin Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious ...

(1812–1898). The circle of women known as the Langham Place group included, in addition to Lady Monson and Matilda Hays,

Helen Blackburn Helen Blackburn (25 May 1842 – 11 January 1903) was a feminist, writer and campaigner for women's rights, especially in the field of employment. Blackburn was an editor of the ''Englishwoman's Review'' magazine. She wrote books about women work ...

Emily Faithfull Emily Faithfull (27 May 1835 – 31 May 1895) was an English women's rights activist who set up the Victoria Press to publish the '' English Woman's Journal''. Biography Emily Faithfull was born on 27 May 1835 at Headley Rectory, Surrey. She ...

Maria Rye Maria Susan Rye, (31 March 1829 – 12 November 1903), was a social reformer and a promoter of emigration from England, especially of young women living in Liverpool workhouses, to the colonies of the British Empire, especially Canada. Early lif ...

Emily Davies Sarah Emily Davies (22 April 1830 – 13 July 1921) was an English feminist and suffragist, and a pioneering campaigner for women's rights to university access. She is remembered above all as a co-founder and an early Mistress of Girton Colleg ...

, and

Jessie Boucherett (Emilia) Jessie Boucherett (November 1825 – 18 October 1905) was an English campaigner for women's rights. Life She was born in November 1825 at North Willingham, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. She was the grandchild of Lt. Colonel Ayscoghe B ...

. At the end of 1863, Lady Monson refitted the place to be a house. She died on 3 July 1891 at Malvern Wells, Worcerstershire.

Gallery

File:3 antique pencil sketches by Theodosia Blacker - Baroness Monson of Burton - 1819.jpg File:3 antique pencil sketches by Theodosia Blacker - Baroness Monson of Burton - 1819 2.jpg File:3 antique pencil sketches by Theodosia Blacker - Baroness Monson of Burton - 1819 4.jpg File:3 antique pencil sketches by Theodosia Blacker - Baroness Monson of Burton - 1819 5.jpg File:3 antique pencil sketches by Theodosia Blacker - Baroness Monson of Burton - 1819 3.jpg

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monson of Burton, Theodosia Monson, Baroness 1803 births 1891 deaths People from Warkworth, Northumberland People from Newent