Henrietta Fordyce

Henrietta Fordyce
Henrietta Fordyce
	after George Willison
Born	Henrietta Cumming; 14 February 1734; Edinburgh
Died	10 January 1823 (aged 88); Bath
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Occupation	governess
Employer	James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres's family
Spouse	Reverend James Fordyce
Children	none

Henrietta Fordyce born Henrietta Cumming or Henrietta Cummyng (14 February 1734 – 10 January 1823) was a Scottish-born governess.

Life

Fordyce was born in Edinburgh. Her father James Cuming soon died and it was her mother Katharine (born Cowan) who arranged her home education. When she was twelve her mother died and she was left with no prospect of an advantageous marriage as she had no dowry. One of her aunts took her in and that was where she came to the attention of Anne Dalrymple, countess of Balcarres.[1] Anne and her husband James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres had a large family and Anne was known for her harsh parenthood. She once ordered that one of her misbehaving sons should be thrown in a pond three times.[2]

She moved to Balcarres in Fife where she was the governess to Anne, Margaret, and Elizabeth Lindsay. Anne later noted that Fordyce was unusual. She refused to eat at all until she was allowed to eat with the family. Fordyce wanted to look after her charges and she was annoyed when she offered payment.[1] The second daughter, Margaret, married Alexander Fordyce who was a banker.[3]

She served for a decade. She met the Scottish minister James Fordyce (Alexander's brother) who was known for his Sermons to Young Women which he had published in 1766. They married in 1771, the Reverend Fordyce was based in London and they lived there until the early 1880s.[1]

They lived briefly in Southampton before they settled in Bath.[1]

Death and legacy

Fordyce died in Bath in 1823. Her correspondence with Alicia Cockburn who they became confidantes, Cockburn is creditted with establishing Fordyce's notability.[1] Cockburn wrote the "Flowers of the Forest".[4] An anonymous "Memoir of the late Mrs. Henrietta Fordyce" was publish in 1823,[5] however that is said to be unrelaiable and hagiographic.[1]

References

Moran, Mary Catherine (2004-09-23). "Fordyce [née Cumming; also Cuming, Cummyng], Henrietta (1734–1823), governess". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/65013. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 2023-06-03. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Augustus Hare, The Story of My Life, Volume IV (George Allen, London, 1900), at page 137
Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (2004-09-23). "Alexander Fordyce". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9876. Retrieved 2023-06-03. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cockburn, Alicia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 624.
Fordyce, Henrietta (1823). Memoir of the late Mrs. Henrietta Fordyce, relict of James Fordyce, D.D. Containing original letters, anecdotes, and pieces of poetry. To which is added a sketch of the life of James Fordyce, D.D. Hurst, Robinson, and Company, 90, Cheapside, and 8, Pall Mall.

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[horb-1] Moran, Mary Catherine (2004-09-23). "Fordyce [née Cumming; also Cuming, Cummyng], Henrietta (1734–1823), governess". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/65013. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 2023-06-03. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[2] Augustus Hare, The Story of My Life, Volume IV (George Allen, London, 1900), at page 137

[3] Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (2004-09-23). "Alexander Fordyce". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9876. Retrieved 2023-06-03. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[EB1911-4] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cockburn, Alicia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 624.

[5] Fordyce, Henrietta (1823). Memoir of the late Mrs. Henrietta Fordyce, relict of James Fordyce, D.D. Containing original letters, anecdotes, and pieces of poetry. To which is added a sketch of the life of James Fordyce, D.D. Hurst, Robinson, and Company, 90, Cheapside, and 8, Pall Mall.