Frances Jocelyn, Viscountess Jocelyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frances Cowper
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| Viscountess Jocelyn | |
Lithograph of Viscountess Jocelyn, c. 1849
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Lady Frances Elizabeth Cowper
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| Born | 1820 |
| Died | 26 March 1880 (aged 59–60) Cannes, France |
| Husband | Robert Jocelyn, Viscount Jocelyn |
| Issue | Edith Gore, Viscountess Sudley Robert Jocelyn, 4th Earl of Roden |
| Father | Peter Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper |
| Mother | Emily Lamb, Countess Cowper |
Frances Elizabeth Jocelyn, Viscountess Jocelyn (born Cowper; 1820 – 26 March 1880) was a British lady who worked for the royal family. She was also a talented amateur photographer. She was given the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert award.
Frances was the youngest daughter of Peter Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper and his wife Emily Lamb. Some people have thought that her real father might have been Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston. He later married her mother in 1839. Before she got married, Lady Frances helped at the coronation of Queen Victoria. She also served as a bridesmaid at the Queen's wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.
Lady Frances married Robert Jocelyn, Viscount Jocelyn in 1841. He was the son of the 3rd Earl of Roden. Later that year, she became a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria. This meant she was a close helper and friend to the Queen. Lord Jocelyn passed away in 1854. Lady Jocelyn was very sad after this. She then started focusing on photography. She often took pictures of home life, which was a popular subject for women photographers back then.
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Her Family and Early Life
Lady Frances Elizabeth Cowper was born in 1820. She was the youngest daughter of Emily Lamb, Countess Cowper. Her mother was the daughter of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne. Frances's father was officially listed as the 5th Earl Cowper.
However, some historians believe that Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston was actually the father of Lady Frances. He was also thought to be the father of her brother, William. After her father died, her mother married Palmerston. Lady Frances did not like him very much. Palmerston later became the Prime Minister in 1859.
Her Marriage and Royal Role
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In 1838, Lady Frances was a maid of honour at the Coronation of Queen Victoria. She also served as a bridesmaid at the Queen's wedding in 1840. Queen Victoria married Prince Albert that year.
People thought Lady Frances was very beautiful. Everyone expected her to make a good marriage. On April 9, 1841, Lady Frances married Robert Jocelyn, Viscount Jocelyn. He was a politician and the oldest son of the 3rd Earl of Roden. Robert was born on February 20, 1816, making him four years older than Frances.
After her marriage, Lady Jocelyn became a viscountess. She was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen later that year. She held this important position until 1867.
The Cowper family, Frances's family, was not very religious. However, Lord Jocelyn's family was very religious. After they married, they moved to Northern Ireland. They lived on his family's large estate there. They had five children together.
Lord Jocelyn was in the Tower of London getting ready to go to the Crimea. Sadly, he became ill with cholera and passed away in 1854. He died at the Palmerstons' house. Lady Jocelyn was heartbroken and blamed herself. She spent a lot of time alone, mostly with her children. After her daughter Alice passed away in 1867, Lady Jocelyn also looked after Alice's children. Her oldest son, Robert, became the Earl of Roden in 1870.
Her Photography Work
After her husband died, Lady Jocelyn started photography in 1858. She might have been encouraged by Dr. Ernst Becker. He was Prince Albert's tutor and secretary. Dr. Becker was also a founding member of the Royal Photographic Society.
Lady Jocelyn quickly became a skilled photographer. She took pictures of both landscapes and people. Photography was very important to her at this time. Even though she was a noble lady, she wrote "photographer" as her job in the 1861 Census. In 1859, she joined the Royal Photographic Society. She also joined the Amateur Photographic Association in 1861.
In 1862, she showed four landscape photos at a big exhibition in London. These photos were of the Palmerston estate, called Broadlands. The judges gave her an "honourable mention" for her artistic landscape photos. Some of her photos were also shown at an exhibition in Dublin in 1865.
Many women were among the first people to try photography. Photography was more flexible than other art forms. This allowed women to take pictures of things they were interested in. There were no strict rules about what they could photograph. Most women photographers focused on home life. They often took pictures of their families.
Lady Jocelyn followed this trend. She created several photo albums in the 1850s. She made photographic collages. These were collections of cut-up images placed onto painted backgrounds. She also used watercolors in her work. This made her photos less realistic. Experts say her work showed great creativity and inventiveness.
Viscountess Jocelyn's interest in photography lessened in the 1870s. She spent a lot of time traveling with her children. They visited seaside towns in England and France for her health. She passed away on March 24, 1880, in Cannes, France. Sadly, all five of her children passed away before she did. A few years after her death, Queen Victoria asked an artist to copy a small painting of Lady Jocelyn.
Her Children
Lord and Lady Jocelyn had five children:
- Victoria Alexandrina Emily Jocelyn (born 1842 – died 1843)
- Alice Maria Jocelyn (born 1843 – died 1867)
- Edith Elizabeth Henrietta Jocelyn (born 1845 – died 1871). She married Arthur Gore, Viscount Sudley.
- Robert Jocelyn, 4th Earl of Roden (born 1846 – died 1880)
- Frederick Spencer Jocelyn (born 1852 – died 1871)
See also
- List of women photographers
