Katherine Thomson (1797–1862) (née Byerley, also as Mrs A. T. Thomson, pseudonym Grace Wharton) was an English writer, known as a novelist and historian.
After her husband's death in 1849 she lived abroad for some years. In 1860, she suffered the drowning of her son, John Cockburn Thomson.[3] She returned to London, and died at Dover on 17 December 1862.
Memoirs of Viscountess Sundon, Mistress of the Robes to Queen Caroline, including Letters from the most celebrated Persons of her Time, 1847, 2 vols.; 1850, 2 vols. This work was criticised for inaccuracies, in the Quarterly Review.
Recollections of Literary Characters and Celebrated Places, 1854, 2 vols., chapters of anecdotal topography which had originally appeared in Bentley's Miscellany and Fraser's Magazine, under the signature "A Middle-aged Man".
The Wits and Beaux of Society, 1860, 2 vols., 2nd ed. revised 1861; and
The Literature of Society, 1862, 2 vols.
The Byerley family were descended from Robert Byerley (1660–1714), a Member of Parliament; he married Mary, daughter of Philip Wharton and great-niece of Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton. This relationship was the source of the pseudonyms taken by Katherine Thomson and her son.
Familyedit
Her marriage produced three sons, including Henry William Thomson, and five daughters.[2]
^Sutherland, Gillian (2004). "Byerley, Maria (1787–1843), schoolmistress". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/51763. Retrieved 27 March 2021. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
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Katherine Thomson 1797 1862 nee Byerley also as Mrs A T Thomson pseudonym Grace Wharton was an English writer known as a novelist and historian Contents 1 Life 2 Works 2 1 Biographies 2 2 Novels 2 3 Co authorship 3 Family 4 References 5 Notes 6 External linksLife editShe was the seventh daughter of Thomas Byerley of Etruria Staffordshire a nephew by marriage and sometime partner and manager of the pottery works of Josiah Wedgwood Her sister was Maria Byerley who founded a school 1 She married in 1820 the physician Anthony Todd Thomson as his second wife 2 During their residence in London for some of the time at Hinde Street Marylebone she and her husband assembled an artistic and literary circle among their earlier friends being Thomas Campbell poet David Wilkie artist James Mackintosh Francis Jeffrey Lord Jeffrey and Lord Cockburn Later in Welbeck Street they saw much of Thackeray Robert Browning and also of Edward Bulwer Lytton who became a close friend After her husband s death in 1849 she lived abroad for some years In 1860 she suffered the drowning of her son John Cockburn Thomson 3 She returned to London and died at Dover on 17 December 1862 Works editBiographies edit At her husband s suggestion Thomson began biographical compilation starting with a brief Life of Wolsey for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge in 1824 She developed anecdotal biography as used by Isaac D Israeli John Heneage Jesse and Agnes Strickland It gave her material for a series of historical novels anticipating those of Emma Marshall Thomson s main historical and biographical compilations were Memoirs of the Court of Henry the Eighth London 1826 2 vols Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Ralegh 1830 two American editions Memoirs of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough and of the Court of Queen Anne 1838 2 vols Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745 1845 and 1846 3 vols Together with notices of some minor actors this contains lives of John Erskine Earl of Mar James Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Derwentwater Donald Cameron of Lochiel William Maxwell 5th Earl of Nithsdale William Gordon 6th Viscount of Kenmure William Murray Marquess of Tullibardine Rob Roy Simon Fraser 11th Lord Lovat Lord George Murray Flora Macdonald and William Boyd 4th Earl of Kilmarnock Memoirs of Viscountess Sundon Mistress of the Robes to Queen Caroline including Letters from the most celebrated Persons of her Time 1847 2 vols 1850 2 vols This work was criticised for inaccuracies in the Quarterly Review Recollections of Literary Characters and Celebrated Places 1854 2 vols chapters of anecdotal topography which had originally appeared in Bentley s Miscellany and Fraser s Magazine under the signature A Middle aged Man Life and Times of George Villiers Duke of Buckingham 1860 3 vols Celebrated Friendships 1861 2 vols This contains chapters on John Evelyn and Robert Boyle Henry Howard Earl of Surrey and Thomas Wyatt poet Marie Antoinette and Marie Therese Louise of Savoy Princesse de Lamballe Kenelm Digby and Anthony van Dyck Philip Sidney and Fulke Greville 1st Baron Brooke Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Charles Lamb Francois Fenelon and Jeanne Guyon William Cowper and Mary Unwin David Garrick and Kitty Clive and Edward Hyde 1st Earl of Clarendon and Lucius Cary 2nd Viscount Falkland Novels edit Mrs Thomson also wrote Constance novel 1833 3 vols Rosabel 1835 Lady Annabella 1837 Anne Boleyn 1842 several editions Widows and Widowers 1842 several editions Ragland Castle 1843 White Mask 1844 The Chevalier 1844 and 1857 Tracey or the Apparition 1847 Carew Ralegh 1857 Court Secrets 1857 dealing with the story of Caspar Hauser Faults on Both Sides 1858 Co authorship edit Under the pseudonym of Grace Wharton she was joint author with her son John Cockburn Thomson of The Queens of Society 1860 2 vols 3rd ed 1867 short biographies of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough Madame Roland Lady Mary Wortley Montagu Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire Letitia Elizabeth Landon L E L Madame de Sevigne Sydney Lady Morgan Jane Gordon Duchess of Gordon Madame Recamier Mary Hervey Madame de Stael Mrs Thrale Lady Caroline Lamb Anne Seymour Damer Marie Anne de Vichy Chamrond marquise du Deffand Elizabeth Montagu Mary Herbert Countess of Pembroke Francoise d Aubigne Marquise de Maintenon The Wits and Beaux of Society 1860 2 vols 2nd ed revised 1861 and The Literature of Society 1862 2 vols The Byerley family were descended from Robert Byerley 1660 1714 a Member of Parliament he married Mary daughter of Philip Wharton and great niece of Philip Wharton 4th Baron Wharton This relationship was the source of the pseudonyms taken by Katherine Thomson and her son Family editHer marriage produced three sons including Henry William Thomson and five daughters 2 References edit Thomson Katharine Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Notes edit Sutherland Gillian 2004 Byerley Maria 1787 1843 schoolmistress Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 51763 Retrieved 27 March 2021 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b Thomson Anthony Todd Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Appletons annual cyclopaedia and register of important events of the year 1862 New York D Appleton amp Company 1863 p 694 Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Thomson Katharine Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 External links editWorks by A T Thomson at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Grace Wharton at Internet Archive Works by or about A T Thomson at Internet Archive Works by or about Katherine Thomson at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Katherine Thomson English writer amp oldid 1217158466, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
