Ann Liddell facts for kids

Ann Liddell (born around 1686, died 1735 or later) was an important writer and thinker from Britain. She shared her opinions on politics and society during a time of big changes. She was also known as Ann Clavering before she got married.

Early Life and Family

Ann Liddell was probably born in County Durham, England. She was baptized there on April 21, 1686. Her parents were Ann and John Clavering. Ann was the middle child of three.

Her family was quite well-off. Her father owned coal mines, which brought in a good income. Her grandfather, Sir Henry Thompson, was a Member of Parliament (MP). This meant he helped make laws for the country.

Ann had an older sister named Mary Clavering. Mary later became a "Lady of the Bedchamber" for Caroline, who was the Princess of Wales. This was an important job helping the Princess. In 1706, Mary married William, Lord Cowper.

Facing Challenges

A big challenge came when Ann's father died suddenly. His will left his property to his young son, John Clavering, who was Ann's half-brother. Because John was still a child, the property was managed by a special court until he grew up.

Since her older sister Mary was already married, Ann had to step up. She, along with her cousin James Clavering, had to find money to support the family. This included paying for her younger siblings' education.

Ann had to learn a lot about the coal business. She found that the ownership of one of their family's coal mines, the Clavering-Stella colliery, was unclear. This made it easy for others to try and take its profits. Ann wrote strong letters to her cousin, warning him to protect their family's inheritance.

A Voice in Politics

Ann lived in London for a time. She was very interested in politics and had strong opinions. She supported a group called the "liberals" and often criticized another group called the "Whigs." These were important political parties of her time.

She regularly wrote to her cousin, describing the details of political trials and debates in London. In return, she asked for news from Durham about court cases and the coal trade, which affected her family's money. Three years of her letters were saved by her cousin.

Ann continued to write until she married in 1711. She shared her thoughts on the political struggles between different groups. Her independent views on important trials, like that of a preacher named Henry Sacheverell, are considered very valuable by historians today. Her cousin likely kept her letters because Ann often warned him about legal issues.

Marriage and Later Life

Ann married Henry Liddell on July 14, 1711. Henry was the son of Sir Henry Liddell, whose family home was Ravenscroft Castle in County Durham.

Other letters from Ann show that she felt some bitterness towards her sister Mary. Ann felt that her family, especially the Cowpers, should have done more to help her husband get an important position. The Cowpers, however, believed they had helped Henry Liddell and thought Ann was ungrateful.

Ann's husband, Henry, died in 1717. After his death, he was accused of not managing his money well. Ann took on the job of defending his good name. She continued to stay on good terms with her cousin, Sir James Clavering, even though she sometimes thought he was ungrateful.

Ann Liddell is last mentioned in records from 1735. Her letters are now kept in the UK National Archives, giving us a unique look into her life and the politics of her time.