This estate was also the home of dido elizabeth belle, the inspiration for the book belle. Belle and slaverys end in britain the new york times. Taking a few liberties with the real story of belle. Dec 05, 2011 we take a trip to kenwood house to trace the extraordinary story of dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate great niece of the first earl of mansfield, the owner of kenwood house, now an english.
Dido elizabeth belle was a girl born into slavery of mixed race, whose mother was a black african woman, maria belle and whose father was rear admiral sir. This book tells the inspiring true story of dido elizabeth belle, and how the life of a woman most people have never heard helped pave the way for future change. She was born into slavery in the british west indies, the daughter of an african slave and british military officer sir john lindsay. This book is short and choppily written, but i didnt mind because of the historical timeline it gives. May 05, 2014 i confirm to dido elizabeth belle her freedom.
It was an unthinkable act for the time, and belles life was destined for only bad things. But is does suggest an answer the question of why a book supposedly about dido elizabeth belle contains nothing about her there simply is no information recorded. Belle ebook king county library system bibliocommons. Dido elizabeth belle is best known for the 1779 painting of her alongside her cousin, lady elizabeth murray, the greatniece of william murray, the first earl of mansfield. Apr 27, 2014 the mystery woman in the portrait and focus of the film is dido elizabeth belle, who lived from 1761 to 1804.
Jun 25, 2014 i confirm to dido elizabeth belle her freedom. The date would be of little importance if not for one important factor. Jun 23, 2014 commissioned by the producers of the new movie belle, acclaimed biographer paula byrne aims to reveal the true story behind the main characters in the movie. Dido elizabeth belle was a girl born into slavery of mixed race, whose mother was a black african woman, maria belle and whose father was rear admiral sir john lindsay, nephew of the 1st earl of mansfield. Apr 01, 2014 commissioned by the producers of the new movie belle, acclaimed biographer paula byrne aims to reveal the true story behind the main characters in the movie. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read dido elizabeth belle. The amazing thing about dido elizabeth belle is not that she was mixedrace.
Belle s father was white, but her mother was of african descent. This post is based on research conducted by the english heritage curatorial team and sarah k. Her father, john lindsay, nephew of the earl of mansfield, was at the time a royal navy captain on hms trent, a warship based in the west indies that took part in the capture of havana from the spanish in 1762. Dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate daughter of a captain in the royal navy and an african slave, and her greatuncle, william murray, 1st earl of mansfield 170593 and lord chief justice of the kings bench.
We take a trip to kenwood house to trace the extraordinary story of dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate great niece of the first earl of mansfield, the owner of kenwood house, now an english. According to family tradition a painting attributed to zoffany, now at scone palace the scottish seat of the earls of mansfield. Elizabeth for her greatuncles wife, who helped raise her. The artwork depicts two highborn women, both in lavish 18thcentury dresses, and both gazing goodnaturedly out from the painting.
This time, it is the troubled face of king richard iii that sets him on a quest to discover the elusive truth buried in history. One of the women, now identified as dido elizabeth belle, looks over with a cheeky, enigmatic smile, as if daring her viewer to figure her out. At the suggestion of the producers, harpercollins published a companion book belle the slave daughter and the lord chief justice by biographer paula byrne recounting the lives of the films principal characters. Dido elizabeth belle, the daughter of an eighteenth century. The true story of dido belle 2014 as a tiein to the 20 film belle. Though she was black and the daughter of a slave, she lived out her childhood along her cousin, lady elizabeth murray, niece of the first earl of mansfield. The child of the british admiral john lindsay and an enslaved african woman possibly named maria belle, she was sent to kenwood house, the home of her greatuncle, william murray, 1st earl of mansfield as a young. May 05, 2014 taking a few liberties with the real story of belle. Belle was a mixed race child adopted by the aristocratic family of kenwood and raised as one of their daughters. Dido belle, the mixedrace daughter of an 18thcentury british aristocrat, is the subject of a mysterious painting and a new film, belle. The true story of dido belle film tiein edition by paula byrne isbn. The mixedrace daughter, dido elizabeth belle gugu mbatharaw, of royal navy captain sir john lindsay matthew goode is raised by aristocratic greatuncle lord william murray, 1st earl of mansfield tom wilkinson in eighteenth century england. Dido elizabeth belle 17611804, was an illegitimate daughter of admiral sir john lindsay and an enslaved african woman known as maria belle.
Dido and elizabeth were lord mansfield s wards and raised together at caen wood house, now know as kenwood house on hampstead heath near london. Fern and kate meet dido elizabeth belle historycal roots. Find out more about dido belles story at kenwood house, her former home on hampstead heath in london, or by purchasing the new kenwood guidebook. Belle s father was white, but her mother was african. She was a member of the family and household of william murray, 1st earl of mansfield 170593 and lord chief justice of the kings bench. Romance, race and slavery with jane austen style after the success of movies about the brutality of slavery, the film belle brings a new perspective.
Belles father was white, but her mother was of african descent. The book was put together to supply the true story behind the recent movie, belle 2014, staring gugu mbatharaw. Who knows how many white mens children were born to black. Of the limited information known of dido, she still remains a hidden gem in history.
A few weeks ago, i watched a movie that i had wanted to see for months, belle. There would have been other girls like dido at the time but her story is a unique one. Dido elizabeth belle 1761 july 1804 was a british heiress and a member of the lindsay. The slave daughter and the lord chief justice byrne, paula on.
Wonderful examination of abolitions status in england before william wilberforce, through the lens of the fascinating story of lord chief justice mansfield and his neice and adopted daughter, dido elizabeth belle. In eighteenth century england the slave trade is thriving but for one young black woman her life is one of privilege and respectability. After watching the movie last year i finally had the chance to sit down and read this short biography of the one and only, dido elizabeth belle. Dido elizabeth belle 1761 1804 musical theatre gives children an opportunity to express themselves, be exposed to difficult situations and how to manage these situations in a creative way. As in the film, he was the greatuncle of dido elizabeth belle and lady elizabeth murray. The screenplay was inspired by the portrait shown above, that of dido elizabeth belle and her cousin lady elizabeth murray, both of whom were raised in the home of their respective greatuncle, william murray, the 1st earl of mansfield and lord chief justice. Belle, the movie based on the life of dido elizabeth belle, will be released on dvd on tuesday and is available now as a digital. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. She was treated as an equal member of the family with one exception. May 27, 2014 dido belle, the mixedrace daughter of an 18thcentury british aristocrat, is the subject of a mysterious painting and a new film, belle.
Ive long been interested in the story of dido elizabeth belle who lived in the late 18th and early 19th century. While the screenplay is based on actual facts, it also incorporates a fictional narrative worthy of a seventh jane austen novel. It was published as an audiobook when the movie opened in the united states. But with her name in the title i expected the book to be mostly about her, which. The inflammatory title has nothing to do with the material presented. With gugu mbatharaw, matthew goode, emily watson, miranda richardson. Born to the john lindsay, a british naval officer and nephew to the earl of mansfield, and a west indian slave, dido elizabeth belle was born in 1761. Since so little is known about dido elizabeth belle this isnt really her history, so its a little misleading to say this is the true story of her life, but her legacy is not so much what she did as what she possibly inspired by being a much loved member of lord mansfields family.
Who knows how many white mens children were born to black slave. It was an unthinkable act for the time, and belle s life was destined for only bad things. There is virtually no information about dido elizabeth belle, the person this book is supposedly written about. Dido elizabeth belle was born into slavery in 1761 in the west indies to an enslaved african woman known as maria belle her name was spelled as maria bell in her daughters baptism record didos father was sir john lindsay, a naval career officer and then captain of the british warship hms trent, based in. May 04, 2014 dido elizabeth belle was born in 1761. Fern meets dido 2018, a musical written by evadne bygrave based on the book fern and kate meet dido elizabeth belle by david gleave. Not much is known about the real dido, but we know that she seems to have been a beloved, welleducated member of the household of the lord chief justice of england during a time when slavery faced. This is an interesting contrast to her earlier statement that almost nothing had been written about dido elizabeth belle. Josephine teys book, the daughter of time, features another detective who is influenced by a painting.
A biography kindle edition by fergus mason, lifecaps. Stuart jeffries unravels her story and the puzzle of. Born in about 1761, dido elizabeth belle was a mixed race girl, daughter of an africancaribbean slave named maria and a white man, a captain in the british navy. Toward the end of the book the author, in one of her rare references to dido elizabeth belle, states that, belle was airbrushed out of history.
It would be nearly 100 years before slavery was abolished. At sing a book we are passionate about musical theatre and recognise that it is a powerful platform to tell stories that are not always easy to tell without judgement or offending. In eighteenth century england the slave trade is thriving but for one young black woman her life is one. The mystery woman in the portrait and focus of the film is dido elizabeth belle, who lived from 1761 to 1804. Dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate daughter of a captain in the royal navy and an african slave, and her greatuncle, william murray. Mar 21, 2014 ive long been interested in the story of dido elizabeth belle who lived in the late 18th and early 19th century. Belle is a historical fiction inspired by the life of dido elizabeth belle, a mixed race woman who lived as an aristocrat in 18th century england. She was born into slavery in the british west indies, the daughter of an african slave and the british military officer sir john lindsay. Kenwood house, on the northern edge of londons hampstead heath, is the sort of manor found in a jane austen novel, with a marble bust here, a. Movie inspired by a painting, belle is a true story. Belle was sent to live with her uncle, the earl of mansfield. The earl, also known as lord mansfield, was at the time the lord chief justice of england and wales, the highest ranking jurist in great britain.
Dido was sent to live in the household of william murray, 1st earl of mansfield, who was lindsays uncle and thus didos greatuncle. She could not join them at dinner when guests were present. Author paula byrne was commissioned to write belle. Jun 03, 2014 dido elizabeth belle is best known for the 1779 painting of her alongside her cousin, lady elizabeth murray, the greatniece of william murray, the first earl of mansfield. May 16, 2014 belle featurette the story 2014 tom wilkinson, matthew goode movie hd duration. Family likeness, a 20 novel by caitlin davies, was inspired in part by the life of dido elizabeth belle. Biography of dido elizabeth belle, english aristocrat. Belle featurette the story 2014 tom wilkinson, matthew goode movie hd duration. Dido elizabeth belle, the daughter of an eighteenth century aristocratic gentleman, captain lindsay and a west indian slave maria belle, is placed into the care of her great uncle lord mansfield from an infant. Dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate daughter of a captain in the royal navy and an african slave, and her greatuncle, william murray, 1st earl of mansfield 170593 and lord chief. Dido elizabeth belle 1761 july 1804 was a british heiress and a member of the lindsay family of evelix. Who knows how many white mens children were born to. This book is more a book on the abolition of the slave.