Bridget Bennet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bridget Bennet
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | before 1668 prob. Nottinghamshire
|
| Died | after 1699 |
| Nationality | English |
| Known for | her book collections |
| Spouse(s) | John Bennet, 1st Baron Ossulston |
Bridget Bennet was an English woman who loved collecting books. She was born Bridget Howe. She lived in the 1600s. Her husband was an important member of Parliament. He later became a Baron. Bridget's notes about her books show us what she was interested in. They also show how she learned things on her own by reading.
Contents
Who Was Bridget Bennet?
Bridget Bennet's exact birth date and place are not known. She was the daughter of John Grobham Howe. Her mother was Lady Annabella Scroope. Her father came from a place called Langar in Nottinghamshire.
In 1668, Bridget was in Paris, France. She got married in 1673. Her husband was Sir John Bennet. He was a Knight of the Bath. This was a special honor given by the King. He also worked as a Lieutenant for the King's guards.
Her Homes and Husband
Bridget's husband had been a member of Parliament for ten years. This meant he helped make laws for the country. They had two homes. One was in Golden Square in Westminster, London. The other was Dawley House in Harlington, Middlesex.
On November 24, 1682, her husband became Lord Ossulston. This meant he was given a special title. He was now known as Baron Ossulston.
Bridget's Amazing Book Collection
Bridget Bennet was a widow by 1695. She kept very good records of her books. On May 4, 1699, she had over 200 books. Only three of these books were not in English.
Her first known list of books was from 1680. She updated this list until 1689. That list had over 220 books. However, her lists changed a lot over time. The 1680 list included 35 books in French. These included books by famous women writers. Some of these writers were Hortense Mancini and Madame de La Fayette.
Sharing Her Books
The differences in her book lists might be because she shared her books. Bridget often lent books to other people. She lent books to her nephew, Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton. He was also the King's son. She also lent books to "Mrs Reverwest." Her son Charles borrowed over a dozen books from her.
What Her Books Showed
Bridget's book lists show how her interests changed. For example, she became very interested in medicine at one point. She also cared a lot about the education of women.
She owned many modern books that supported women. One book was "A Present for the Ladies" by Nahum Tate. It was written in 1692. Another was "The Challenge sent by a young lady" by John Dunton. This book came out in 1697. Bridget owned these books soon after they were published. This shows she was interested in new ideas about women's roles.
The End of Her Story
It is not clear exactly when Bridget Bennet died. A list of over 700 books was made in 1722. This was likely after her death. It was also after her son Charles had died.
The books on this 1722 list were worth £115. About one-third of these books were also on Bridget's earlier lists. However, nearly half of the books she owned in 1680 were not on the 1722 list. This suggests her collection changed a lot over the years.
