514:, Curzon Street, Mayfair, on 11 December 1753, Isaac Axford, grocer, of St Martin Ludgate, London. She had absconded from her husband by 1 January 1755, but it was reported on 3 September 1755 that her mother 'was not fully satisfied she was absented from her husband'. The officials of her church reported on 7 January 1756 that she could not be found and agreed that a Testimony of Denial be prepared against her for marrying against their rules. This was read and approved on 3 March 1756. She had been bequeathed £50 by her aunt Hannah Plant in 1748 which she should have received on probate, 9 March 1756. As 'Mrs Hannah Axford formerly Miss Hannah Lightfoot' she was bequeathed an annuity of £40 for life by Robert Pearne of Isleworth, an old friend of the family, in his will dated 26 January 1757 and proved 4 April 1757. Hannah was also mentioned in the will of her mother Mary Lightfoot dated 10 January 1760 and proved 4 June 1760 in which she left the residue of her estate in trust for Hannah, adding 'I am not certain whether my said daughter be living or dead I not having seen or heard from her for about two years last past'. Hannah's husband Isaac Axford remarried in Wiltshire, describing himself as a widower, in December 1759, but he may not have known whether Hannah was dead or alive. His second wife, Mary Bartlett, died in 1791, and he himself died at Warminster in 1816.
230:
411:(12 October 1730 – before December 1759), known as "The Fair Quaker", was a Quaker in Westminster. She married Isaac Axford in December 1753 but, before the end of the following year, had disappeared. Later gossip, originally in amusement and ridicule, first noted in print in 1770, but much embroidered in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries linked her name, although some eight years his senior, with the extremely shy fifteen-year-old Prince George. Prince George became
604:. If noted and remarked upon at the time it may account for the story which then arose. In December 1759 the gossips were saying that the Prince had kept a beautiful Quaker for some years, that she had died, and that a child survived. When he visited Quakers in the City in 1761 the joke was that he had been 'thoroughly initiated and instructed by the fairest of the Quaker sisterhood'. And so the story grew. Hannah was advertised for in 1793, apparently without success.
658:
Axford, the Fair
Quakeress'. It is a portrait of a woman of fashion (not a Quaker) and it has been suggested that in view of the early uncertainties surrounding the name of the 'fair Quaker' that it may be a portrait of a member of the prosperous Axford family, who were not Quakers, and was later wrongly attributed. It may be a portrait of Miss Ann Axford, a sister of William and John Axford, of Ludgate Hill, grocers, who was alive in 1780.
528:
430:
66:
168:
25:
588:
George III admired the simple goodness of the
Quakers and there is an old story, first published in 1770 but much embellished in the nineteenth century, that, in amusement, linked his name, as an extremely shy teenager of fifteen, with that of Hannah Lightfoot, eight years his senior, who ran away
657:
The above portrait, which is attributed to Sir Joshua
Reynolds, has been linked without proof to Hannah Lightfoot. A guide to the pictures at Knole published in 1839 attributed another painting of Hannah Lightfoot by Reynolds and followed an earlier guide of 1817 in describing the sitter as 'Miss
510:, the daughter of Matthew Lightfoot (died 1733), a shoemaker, and his wife Mary Wheeler (died 1760). After the death of her father she lived with her uncle Henry Wheeler, a linen draper in Market Lane, Westminster. She married (apparently without the knowledge of her mother) outside her faith at
589:
from her husband in 1754 and disappeared. The King, then Prince of Wales, is said to have organised her abduction at or after her marriage to Isaac Axford in 1753 and, according to later stories, to have secretly married and had children by her; two of them were known to history as
415:
in 1760 and was known to admire the simplicity of the
Quakers. After George's death, rumours circulated that he had engineered her abduction, married and had children by her. However, no contemporary source connecting the Prince and Hannah has ever been found.
619:(1832) in which it was stated that a marriage between Prince George and Hannah Lightfoot had taken place in the Curzon Street Chapel on 17 April 1759. Such a marriage would have bastardised the children of George III and given any child of his brother the
593:(now known to have been born in 1765) and John Mackelcan, born in 1759. Her whereabouts were unknown to her family by 1758. Her husband married again in 1759 describing himself as a widower.
259:
344:
643:
888:
850:
627:, who claimed to be a legitimate child of the Duke, forged a succession of documents to prove these events, including this 1759 marriage.
715:
880:
867:
701:
575:
549:
477:
451:
317:
299:
211:
149:
83:
52:
38:
710:
2017 A historical fiction novel by K.M. Ellis, features the fictional illegitimate daughter of Hannah
Lightfoot and George III.
130:
275:
688:
553:
455:
178:
102:
87:
649:
Although not accepted by any academic historian these claims are sometimes still asserted: see Kreps in references below.
109:
642:
declaring her action as 'a case of fraud, fabrication, and imposture from beginning to end'. The documents are now in
116:
929:
934:
904:
538:
440:
251:
193:
98:
557:
542:
459:
444:
255:
189:
76:
44:
924:
919:
601:
264:
240:
635:
620:
607:
However, the story gained strength and much dubious detail with the publication of the anonymous
244:
884:
876:
863:
846:
711:
697:
684:
511:
343:
279:
123:
639:
268:
596:
Just a month before the
Testimony of Denial was issued against Hannah Lightfoot, the young
842:
597:
507:
412:
899:
913:
735:
674:
631:
624:
859:
704:. A mystery novel, set in contemporary times, based on the Hannah Lightfoot story.
772:
784:
736:"Called Hannah Lightfoot, Mrs Axford (1730-c.1759), 'The Fair Quakeress' 129932"
527:
429:
65:
590:
503:
856:
The Great
Pretenders: The True Stories behind Famous Historical Mysteries
495:
634:" produced these documents in court in 1866 the case was dismissed, the
499:
491:
196:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
894:
The Fair Quaker: Hannah
Lightfoot and her Relations with George III
609:
An
Historical Fragment Relative to Her late Majesty Queen Caroline
638:
saying 'I believe them to be rank and gross forgeries' and the
521:
423:
223:
161:
59:
18:
666:
Four novels have been based on the Hannah
Lightfoot story.
761:
Royal Mistresses and Bastards, Fact and Fiction, 1714-1937
839:
Royal Mistresses and Bastards: Fact and Fiction 1714–1936
262:
and tools are available to assist in formatting, such as
185:
696:, Lee Wood, St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2005,
389:
366:
358:
350:
334:
90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
773:https://anthonycamp.com/pages/hannah-lightfoot
8:
243:, which are uninformative and vulnerable to
556:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
458:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
258:and maintains a consistent citation style.
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
905:Carmarthenshire-FHS-L Archives, 3-May-2001
342:
331:
677:in which Hannah Lightfoot is the narrator
613:Authentic Records of the Court of England
576:Learn how and when to remove this message
478:Learn how and when to remove this message
318:Learn how and when to remove this message
300:Learn how and when to remove this message
212:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
896:, Mary Lucy Pendered, D. Appleton, 1911.
862:, W.W. Norton & Co, New York, 2004.
726:
617:Secret History of the Court of England
873:Hannah Regina: Britain's Quaker Queen
600:had seen a Quaker at a masquerade at
7:
623:a claim to the throne. The imposter
554:adding citations to reliable sources
456:adding citations to reliable sources
88:adding citations to reliable sources
740:www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk
683:, Jean Plaidy, Hale, London, 1968,
250:Please consider converting them to
673:: 1897. A historical novel by Sir
14:
490:Hannah Lightfoot was born into a
34:This article has multiple issues.
526:
428:
228:
166:
64:
23:
900:Mystery royal burial site found
379:
75:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
845:, Anthony Camp, London, 2007.
254:to ensure the article remains
1:
681:The Prince and the Quakeress
362:1759 (aged 28–29)
646:at Kew (reference J77/44).
192:the claims made and adding
951:
708:The King's Secret Daughter
396:Matthew Lightfoot (father)
341:
803:Visitor's Guide to Knole
875:, Michael Kreps: 2002,
630:When Olive's daughter "
494:family in St John, now
611:(1824), the anonymous
644:The National Archives
399:Mary Wheeler (mother)
602:Northumberland House
550:improve this section
452:improve this section
84:improve this article
791:. Rich & Cowan.
662:Cultural references
636:Lord Chief Justice
621:Duke of Cumberland
177:possibly contains
99:"Hannah Lightfoot"
889:978-0-9533505-1-3
851:978-0-9503308-2-2
789:The Lovely Quaker
734:Trust, National.
671:A Fountain Sealed
615:(1831–2) and the
586:
585:
578:
488:
487:
480:
406:
405:
328:
327:
320:
310:
309:
302:
260:Several templates
222:
221:
214:
179:original research
160:
159:
152:
134:
57:
942:
930:House of Hanover
832:
825:
819:
812:
806:
799:
793:
792:
781:
775:
770:
764:
757:
751:
750:
748:
746:
731:
640:Attorney General
632:Princess Lavinia
581:
574:
570:
567:
561:
530:
522:
483:
476:
472:
469:
463:
432:
424:
409:Hannah Lightfoot
383:
381:
346:
336:Hannah Lightfoot
332:
323:
316:
305:
298:
294:
291:
285:
283:
272:
232:
231:
224:
217:
210:
206:
203:
197:
194:inline citations
170:
169:
162:
155:
148:
144:
141:
135:
133:
92:
68:
60:
49:
27:
26:
19:
950:
949:
945:
944:
943:
941:
940:
939:
935:English Quakers
910:
909:
843:Anthony J. Camp
835:
826:
822:
816:Sketch of Knole
813:
809:
801:John H. Brady,
800:
796:
783:
782:
778:
771:
767:
758:
754:
744:
742:
733:
732:
728:
724:
694:Kingdom of Lies
664:
655:
598:Prince of Wales
582:
571:
565:
562:
547:
531:
520:
484:
473:
467:
464:
449:
433:
422:
413:King George III
402:
385:
382: 1753)
377:
373:
337:
324:
313:
312:
311:
306:
295:
289:
286:
274:
263:
249:
233:
229:
218:
207:
201:
198:
183:
171:
167:
156:
145:
139:
136:
93:
91:
81:
69:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
948:
946:
938:
937:
932:
927:
922:
912:
911:
908:
907:
902:
897:
891:
870:
853:
834:
833:
820:
807:
794:
776:
765:
759:Anthony Camp,
752:
725:
723:
720:
719:
718:
716:978-1520889719
705:
691:
678:
663:
660:
654:
651:
584:
583:
534:
532:
525:
519:
516:
512:Keith's Chapel
486:
485:
436:
434:
427:
421:
418:
404:
403:
401:
400:
397:
393:
391:
387:
386:
375:
371:
370:
368:
364:
363:
360:
356:
355:
352:
348:
347:
339:
338:
335:
326:
325:
308:
307:
252:full citations
236:
234:
227:
220:
219:
174:
172:
165:
158:
157:
72:
70:
63:
58:
32:
31:
29:
22:
16:English Quaker
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
947:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
917:
915:
906:
903:
901:
898:
895:
892:
890:
886:
882:
881:0-9533505-1-7
878:
874:
871:
869:
868:0-393-01969-1
865:
861:
857:
854:
852:
848:
844:
840:
837:
836:
830:
824:
821:
817:
814:J. Bridgman,
811:
808:
805:(1839) 133-4.
804:
798:
795:
790:
786:
780:
777:
774:
769:
766:
763:(2007) 59-76.
762:
756:
753:
741:
737:
730:
727:
721:
717:
713:
709:
706:
703:
702:0-312-34030-3
699:
695:
692:
690:
686:
682:
679:
676:
675:Walter Besant
672:
669:
668:
667:
661:
659:
652:
650:
647:
645:
641:
637:
633:
628:
626:
625:Olivia Serres
622:
618:
614:
610:
605:
603:
599:
594:
592:
580:
577:
569:
559:
555:
551:
545:
544:
540:
535:This section
533:
529:
524:
523:
517:
515:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
482:
479:
471:
461:
457:
453:
447:
446:
442:
437:This section
435:
431:
426:
425:
419:
417:
414:
410:
398:
395:
394:
392:
388:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
340:
333:
330:
322:
319:
304:
301:
293:
281:
280:documentation
277:
270:
269:documentation
266:
261:
257:
253:
248:
246:
242:
237:This article
235:
226:
225:
216:
213:
205:
195:
191:
187:
181:
180:
175:This article
173:
164:
163:
154:
151:
143:
132:
129:
125:
122:
118:
115:
111:
108:
104:
101: –
100:
96:
95:Find sources:
89:
85:
79:
78:
73:This article
71:
67:
62:
61:
56:
54:
47:
46:
41:
40:
35:
30:
21:
20:
893:
872:
860:Jan Bondeson
855:
838:
828:
823:
815:
810:
802:
797:
788:
785:John Lindsey
779:
768:
760:
755:
743:. Retrieved
739:
729:
707:
693:
680:
670:
665:
656:
648:
629:
616:
612:
608:
606:
595:
587:
572:
563:
548:Please help
536:
489:
474:
465:
450:Please help
438:
408:
407:
372:Issac Axford
329:
314:
296:
287:
276:Citation bot
238:
208:
199:
176:
146:
137:
127:
120:
113:
106:
94:
82:Please help
77:verification
74:
50:
43:
37:
36:Please help
33:
925:1759 deaths
920:1730 births
745:16 February
566:August 2020
518:Allegations
468:August 2020
290:August 2022
202:August 2020
140:August 2020
914:Categories
818:(1817) 45.
722:References
689:0709103816
591:George Rex
256:verifiable
186:improve it
110:newspapers
39:improve it
537:does not
504:Middlesex
439:does not
420:Biography
241:bare URLs
190:verifying
45:talk page
787:(1939).
653:Portrait
496:Shadwell
245:link rot
829:op.cit.
558:removed
543:sources
500:Wapping
460:removed
445:sources
390:Parents
384:
376:
184:Please
124:scholar
887:
879:
866:
849:
827:Camp,
714:
700:
687:
506:, now
492:Quaker
367:Spouse
265:reFill
126:
119:
112:
105:
97:
831:, 61.
378:(
374:
239:uses
131:JSTOR
117:books
885:ISBN
877:ISBN
864:ISBN
847:ISBN
747:2023
712:ISBN
698:ISBN
685:ISBN
541:any
539:cite
443:any
441:cite
359:Died
354:1730
351:Born
273:and
103:news
552:by
454:by
188:by
86:by
916::
883:;
858:,
841:,
738:.
508:E1
502:,
498:,
380:m.
48:.
749:.
579:)
573:(
568:)
564:(
560:.
546:.
481:)
475:(
470:)
466:(
462:.
448:.
321:)
315:(
303:)
297:(
292:)
288:(
284:.
282:)
278:(
271:)
267:(
247:.
215:)
209:(
204:)
200:(
182:.
153:)
147:(
142:)
138:(
128:·
121:·
114:·
107:·
80:.
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
