Hester Lynch Thrale

He was born on 9 September 1793. In January 1798 Hester and Gabriel Piozzi adopted the five year old son of Giovanne Battiste (Giambattista) - Gabriel's favourite brother - who had been driven from his home by Napoleon's invasion of Italian Milanese Territory.

Gabriel Mario Piozzi was an Italian singer and composer born and baptised on 8 June 1740. His parents were Domenico and Giancoma. His baptismal sponsor was Signor Giacomo Guadagni. He was one of 14 children. They included brothers Giambattista and P. Luigi, and sisters Maria, Laura, Madalena Tamotti and Ippolita. The family were known to have lived in Brescia, Quinzano and Venice.

Hester Thrale celebrated her eightieth birthday party in the finest of style at the Kingston Rooms - also called the Lower Assembly Rooms - in Bath on 27 January 1820. Seven to eight hundred invited guests helped her to celebrate her birthday at very great expense. There was a reception, then a concert, a supper and a ball.

Early toursists, the Thrales went with Samuel Johnson on a tour of Wales and France, most notably enjoyed dinner and an evening at the theatre at the court of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette at Fontainebleau.

Hester was a prolific writer of verses, and later books. This article summarises her work.

Ralph Thrale

Henry, and his father Ralph before him, both owned the powerful Anchor Brewery and were also both Members of Parliament for Southwark. They were wealthy and enjoyed a coterie of servants, maids and valets.

Later in 1820 Hester took residence in Royal York Crescent, Clifton, Bristol. Clifton was the home of her friend Penelope Sophia Weston (1752-1827), wife of William Pennington. For a short while after this she took temporary residence in Regents Terrace, Penzance while repairs were made to her house in Clifton. On her journey of return to Clifton in March 1821, she fell and hurt her leg in Exeter.

In 1789 a poor quality satire The Sentimental Mother, A Comedy in Five Acts; The Legacy of an old Friend and His Last Moral Lesson to Mrs. Hester Lynch Thrale, now Mrs. Hester Lynch Piozzi. was published by Baretti in the European Magazine.

James Sayers also produced an etching called Johnson's Ghost, in which the Doctor, addresses Mrs Piozzi.

Hester Lynch Salusbury, was born between 4 and 5pm on 16 January 1741 in Bodvel, Caernarvenshire, Wales. Hester was baptised at Llanere church, Wales on 10 February 1741.

Her father was John Salusbury Governor of Nova Scotia (from 1749). Her mother was Hester Maria Cotton.