George Ballard (biographer)

Life

Ballard was born at Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. Self-educated, Ballard taught himself Saxon while working in a habit-maker's shop, and attracted the attention of the Saxon scholar Elizabeth Elstob. Lord Chedworth and other local gentleman provided him with an annuity of £60 a year, enabling Ballard to move to Oxford to use the Bodleian Library. Dr. Jenner appointed him a clerk of Magdalen College, Oxford, and he subsequently became a university beadle.

Ballard died young, and his only printed publication was Memoirs of several ladies of Great Britain, who have been celebrated for their writings, or skill in the learned languages, arts and sciences (1752). This quarto volume was published by subscription, and dedicated to Sarah Talbot of Kineton, the wife of the clergyman William Talbot of Kineton who had helped him receive patronage as a young man, and Mary Delany. The first woman treated by Ballard's Memoirs was Juliana of Norwich; the last was Constantia Grierson (1704/5–1732).

Ballard left a large manuscript collection, and his substantial correspondence, to the Bodleian.

Subjects of Memoirs of British Ladies

This is a list of the women who are treated in George Ballard's book Memoirs of British Ladies. Ballard provided memoirs for over 60 women, presenting them in chronological order.

Anne Askew ('Anne Askew, alias Kyme') (1521–1546), Protestant martyr

'Mary Astell' (1688–1731), miscellaneous writer

Ann Baynard, 'Anne Baynard' (1672–1697), savant

Margaret Beaufort ('Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby') (1443–1509), mother of Henry VII

Juliana Berners, 'Juliana Barnes, alias Berners' (b. ca. 1388), writer

Elizabeth Blake, Elizabeth Berkeley, 'Elizabeth Burnet' (1661–1709), religious writer, married Gilbert Burnet

Catherine of Aragon ('Queen Catherine') (1485–1536), queen consort

Catherine Parr ('Queen Katherine Parr') (1512–1548), queen consort

Katherine Chidley (fl. 1616–1653), religious controversialist & Leveller

Lady Anne Clifford, 'Anne Countess of Pembroke' (1590–1676), autobiographer

Ann Cooke, married name Ann Bacon, 'Lady Bacon' (1528–1610), daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, mother of Francis Bacon

Catherine Cooke, 'Katherine Killigrew' (c. 1530-1583), daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke

Elizabeth Cooke, Elizabeth Russell, 'Lady Russel' (1528–1609), linguist, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke

Margaret Cooke, married name Margaret Rowlett (d. 1558), gentlewoman, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke

Mildred Cooke, Mildred Cecil, 'Lady Burleigh' (1526–1689), daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, married William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

Damaris Cudworth, 'Lady Masham' (1658–1708), philosopher & theological author

Elizabeth Egerton, nee Cavendish, 'Elizabeth countess of Bridgwater' (1626–1663), writer

'Queen Elizabeth' (1533–1603)

'Lady Elizabeth Fane' (d. 1568), writer & literary patron

Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea, nee Kingsmill, 'Anne Countess of Winchelsea' (1661–1720), poet

Elizabeth Fisher, married name 'Elizabeth Bland' (b. c.1660, d. in or after 1712?), Hebraist

Joanna Fitzalan (Jane Lumley), classicist

Mary Fitzalan, Countess of Arundel (born Mary Arundell; also Mary Ratcliffe; 'Mary Countess of Arundel') (d. 1557)

Mary Howard, duchess of Norfolk ('Lady Mary Howard') (1539/40–1557)

Frances Freke, married name Frances, Lady Norton, 'Lady Norton' (1640–1731), writer

Margaret Giggs, later 'Margaret Clement' (1508–1570), niece and adopted daughter of Sir Thomas More

'Constantia Grierson', nee Crawley (c. 1706-1733), classicist

Anne Halkett, nee Murray, royalist & writer

'Susanna Hopton', nee Harvey (1627–1709), religious writer

Margaret Howe, married name 'Margaret Ascham', literary editor, wife of Roger Ascham

Lady Jane Howard, married name Lady Jane Neville, 'Jane Countess of Westmorland' (1537–1593), noblewoman

'Esther Inglis' or Esther Langlois, married name Esther Kello (1570/71-1624), calligrapher & miniaturist

Lady Jane Grey ('Lady Jane Gray') (1537–1554)

Julian of Norwich ('Juliana, Anchoret of Norwich') (1343–1443), anchorite & writer

'Margery Kempe' (c.1373-c.1440), religious writer

'Anne Killigrew' (1660–1685), poet & painter

Elizabeth Knevitt, Countess of Lincoln, married name Elizabeth Clinton, 'Elizabeth Countess of Lincoln' (1574?–1630?), noblewoman & writer

Elizabeth Lawrence, married name 'Elizabeth Bury' (1644–1720), nonconformist

Anne Lee, married name 'Anne Wharton' (1659–1685), poet

Mary Lee, 'Lady Chudleigh' (1656–1710), writer

'Elizabeth Legge' (1580–1685), linguist & poet

'Elizabeth Lucar' (Elizabeth Withypoll), calligrapher

Margaret Lucas, 'Margaret Duchess of Newcastle' (c. 1624-1674), writer and biographer

Mary I, Queen of England and Ireland ('Queen Mary') (1516–1688)

'Mary Queen of Scotland' (1542–1587)

Mary Molesworth, 'Honorable Mrs. Monk' (d. 1715), poet

Cecilia More ('Cecilia Heron'), Latinist & daughter of Thomas More

Elizabeth More, married name 'Elizabeth Dancy', daughter of Thomas More

'Honorable Mrs Dudleya North' (1675–1712), orientalist linguist

Grace Norton, Grace Lady Gethin, 'Lady Gethin' (1676–1697), essayist

'Lady Pakington', Dorothy Coventry, (d. 1679), writer

'Blanch Parry' (1508-1589), antiquary

'Katherine Philips', nee Fowler (1631–1684), poet

Catherina or Catherine Riches, married name Catherina Boevey or 'Catherine Bovey' (d. 1726), philanthropist

'Margaret Roper', nee More (1505–1544), scholar & daughter of Thomas More

'Mary Roper', married name Mary Bassett (d. 1572), classicist

Elizabeth Sadler, married name 'Elizabeth Walker' (1623–1690), autobiographer & religious writer

'Lady Anne Seymour', married name Anne Dudley, Countess of Warwick (1538–1587), poet

'Lady Jane Seymour' (1541–1561), poet

'Lady Margaret Seymour' (b. 1540), poet

Mary Sidney, married name Mary Herbert, 'Mary Countess of Pembroke' (1561–1621), poet & sister of Sir Philip Sidney

Arbella Stuart, 'Lady Arabella Seymour' (1575–1615), royal heiress

'Catherine Tishem'or Catherine Thysmans, scholar, mother of Jan Gruter

Lady Eleanor Touchet, 'Lady Eleanor Davies' (1590–1652), prophetess, married to John Davies (poet)

'Elizabeth Jane Weston' (bap. 1581?, d. 1612), scholar & linguist