Rhoda Delaval facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rhoda Delaval
Arthur Pond's portrait of Rhoda Delaval
Born	Rhoda Delaval 1 July 1725 London, England, United Kingdom
Died	1757 London, England, United Kingdom
Resting place	Widcombe, Bath, England, United Kingdom
Education	via Arthur Pond
Known for	Portraiture
Spouse(s)	Edward Astley ​ (m. 1751)​
Children	4; including Jacob
Parent(s)	Francis Blake Delaval Rhoda Apreece

Seaton Delaval Hall, built by the Delavals and the former seat of the Astley family

Rhoda Delaval Astley (born July 1, 1725 – died 1757) was an English noblewoman and a talented artist. She was known for her beautiful portraits.

Rhoda married Edward Astley. They had four children together. She learned to paint from Arthur Pond, a famous artist who also painted her picture. Her family's grand home, Seaton Delaval Hall, later passed to the Astley family through her children.

Rhoda's Early Life

Rhoda Delaval was born on July 1, 1725, in London, England. Her parents were Captain Francis Blake Delaval and Rhoda Apreece. She was baptized a few weeks later, on July 22, 1725.

Rhoda was the oldest daughter in a very large family. She had 11 younger brothers and sisters! Her siblings included Francis, John, Anne, and Sarah. Her brother George also studied painting with the same teacher, Arthur Pond. People often said Rhoda was very talented and beautiful.

Marriage and Family Life

On May 23, 1751, Rhoda married Edward Astley. He became the 4th Baronet of Melton Constable. When they were in London, they lived at a famous address: 11 Downing Street.

Rhoda and Edward had four children: one daughter and three sons. Their daughter, Editha Rhoda, was born in 1755 but sadly died very young. They also had sons named Edward and Francis, who both died in 1757. Their son Jacob Henry was born in 1756.

Rhoda died in 1757, shortly after her son Francis was born. She was buried in Widcombe, Bath, alongside her young children, Edward and Editha Rhoda. After her death, Edward Astley raised their children at Melton Constable.

Rhoda's letters show us what daily life was like for people in Northumberland back then. Because Rhoda and Edward married, their family later inherited Seaton Delaval Hall in 1814. This happened because Rhoda's brothers did not have any sons to pass the family home to.

Rhoda's Art and Paintings

Rhoda Delaval was a skilled artist. From 1744 to 1750, she studied painting with Arthur Pond. He was the same artist who painted her portrait. She bought many art prints from him.

The National Portrait Gallery in London has a painting of Rhoda. It shows her drawing with pastels. She also painted a portrait of Sir Jacob Astley, which was based on an older painting.

Rhoda even painted a picture of herself and her brother, Sir Francis Blake Delaval. This painting is called Painting and Poetry. It was inspired by the style of an artist named Bernardino Luini.

Another painting, of her sister Anne Hussey Delaval, is also thought to be by Rhoda. She was paid to paint portraits of her sisters and brothers.

• Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, National Trust
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  Sir Jacob Astley (1579–1651/1652), 1st Baron Astley of Reading

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  Rhoda Delaval (1725–1757), Later Lady Astley, and Her Brother, Sir Francis Blake Delaval (1727–1771)

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  Anne Hussey Delaval (1737–1812), Lady Stanhope

An artist named James MacArdell made an engraving of Rhoda's self-portrait. In 1756, another famous artist, Joshua Reynolds, painted her portrait. This painting was later kept at Ford Castle. There is also another painting of Rhoda at Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire.