We dont know that much about dido elizabeth belle so byrne fills in the. Dido elizabeth belle we reveal new information about her. It was an unthinkable act for the time, and belle s life was destined for only bad things. The slave daughter and the lord chief justice by paula byrne. Dido belle, the mixedrace daughter of an 18thcentury british aristocrat. This post is based on research conducted by the english heritage curatorial team and sarah k. The amazing thing about dido elizabeth belle is not that she was mixedrace. 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 download on. 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 was the natural daughter of a former african slave woman and sir john lindsay. Her father was sir john lindsay, a british career naval officer who was stationed there. However, in the case of belle, the book was written after the film.
Born in june 1761 dido elizabeth belle was the illegitimate daughter of sir john lindsay, a british navy captain on hms trent and an african woman called maria belle. Biography of dido elizabeth belle, english aristocrat. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Dido elizabeth belle 17611804, was an illegitimate daughter of admiral sir john lindsay and an enslaved african woman known as maria belle. According to family tradition a painting attributed to zoffany, now at scone palace the.
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. In eighteenth century england the slave trade is thriving but for one young bla. 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. 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. This book tells the inspiring true story of dido elizabeth belle, and how the life of a woman most. Romance, race and slavery with jane austen style after the success of movies about the brutality of slavery, the film belle brings a new. 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. Dido was sent to live in the household of william murray, 1st earl of mansfield, who was lindsays uncle and thus dido. Indeed, her presence in the portrait may be surprising. She was freed from being considered a legal slave in 1793 when the mansfield family granted her freedom from slavery. The story of dido elizabeth belle via portrait and film byu. Stuart jeffries unravels her story and the puzzle of.
But with her name in the title i expected the book to be mostly about her, which. 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. Her daughter dido was sent to live in the household of william murray, 1st earl of mansfield, who was lindsays uncle and thus dido s greatuncle. 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. In this feature, first published in june 2014, nisha lilia diu reveals the true story that inspired it the amazing thing about dido elizabeth belle is. Belles father was white, but her mother was of african descent. It was the name of a popular play at the time, says murray. As in the film, he was the greatuncle of dido elizabeth belle and lady elizabeth murray. Lady elizabeth murray and dido belle, once attributed to zoffany. It is quite common to find that films have adapted the original stories. 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. 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. Follow me, she seems to be saying, i have a story for you.
This is a reasonably good book and provides a sympathetic short biography of lord mansfield and a brief coverage of the beginning of the end of the atlantic slave trade. Belle s father was white, but her mother was of african descent. A biography kindle edition by fergus mason, lifecaps. It would be nearly 100 years before slavery was abolished. This estate was also the home of dido elizabeth belle, the inspiration for the book belle. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. 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. Belle star gugu mbatharaw is the only british actor whos never done a period film duration. Dido belle, the mixedrace daughter of an 18thcentury british aristocrat, is the subject of a mysterious painting and a new film, belle. Elizabeth for her greatuncles wife, who helped raise her. Dido elizabeth belle 17611804 was an illegitimate daughter of admiral sir john lindsay and an enslaved african woman known as belle. This mixedrace woman, dido elizabeth belle, is smiling, and playfully holds a finger to her cheek.
The artwork depicts two highborn women, both in lavish 18thcentury dresses, and both gazing goodnaturedly out from the painting. Dido elizabeth belle 1761 july 1804 was a british heiress and a member of the lindsay family of evelix. Belle s father was white, but her mother was african. Dido elizabeth belle and the lady elizabeth murray by gdn shared post may 21, 2018 dido elizabeth belle and the lady elizabeth murray dido elizabeth belle was a biracial woman born into slavery in 1761 in the west indies, the daughter of a slave woman, maria belle. Find out more about dido belle s story at kenwood house, her former home on hampstead heath in london, or by purchasing the new kenwood guidebook. 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.
Dido elizabeth belle was the illegitimate daughter of sir john lindsay 173788, an officer in the royal navy who was stationed for a time in the. Not much is known about dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate daughter of a british naval captain and a slave woman. The date would be of little importance if not for one important factor. She was named for her mother, maria belle, for the earls first wife, elizabeth, and for dido the queen of carthage.
Movie inspired by a painting, belle is a true story. Very little is known about belle except that she was black. A mixedrace woman, dido belle was raised as part of an aristocratic family in georgian britain at the height of the transatlantic slave trade. Belle was sent to live with her uncle, the earl of mansfield. 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. Having enjoyed the film belle, i wanted to read the book, belle. She was born into slavery in the british west indies, the daughter of an african slave and the british military officer sir john lindsay.
Dido gugu mbatharaw is confronted with the choices of her aunt and uncle for her future. Dido elizabeth belle, the illegitimate daughter of a captain in the royal navy and an african slave, and her greatuncle, william murray. The earl, also known as lord mansfield, was at the time the lord chief justice of england and wales, the highest ranking jurist in. Who knows how many white mens children were born to black. The book turned out to be quite different from the film. At sing a book we are passionate about musical theatre and recognise that it is a powerful platform to tell stories that are. 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.
Her father sir john lindsay was a british nobleman and navy captain, and her mother maria belle was an african woman that lindsay is thought to have found on a spanish ship in the caribbean little else is known about her. She was dido elizabeth belle lindsay, the cousin of lady elizabeth. The life of dido elizabeth belle the first mixed race aristocrat who was brought up as the adopted daughter of lord mansfield the lord chief justice of england. See amma asantes new period drama belle in select theaters may 2, 2014. Portraits have been the focus of many evocative films and books.