My 4x great grandmother (step)

[Tom Tom]

This is my 4x great grandfather's second (or possibly third) wife.

She was born Louisa Felicite Liardet and her family were French. One of her uncles was killed in the french revolution.

Louisa was born in 1799 and died in 1875. She married my 4x great grandad in 1858, so a bit aftert this painting was done!

[Trish@Somerset]

What a great painting I was going to put the word 'photo' out of habit but just stopped myself:D

[Just Barbara]

Hi, I think your lovely painting is a bit earlier than you think, your step ggggrannie is wearing her hair in a style that was popular in the early 1840s, what a lovely thing to own.......

[Tom Tom]

Barbara

She married in 1856 so I thought it was a long time before that. She was born 1799 so though maybe 1830?

[Just Barbara]

Sorry Tom, I misread your post, I was thinking you meant after her marriage,,,,,,,doh!

[Just Barbara]

ps I honestly think she is from the early 1840s, her hairstyle and the style of what we can see of her dress fits with that time slot and not the earlier one.

[Tom Tom]

Thats interesting Barbara.

The problem is with this lot is that her parents were escapees from the french revolution and the family went over to NZ at some point around 1840.

I don't actually own the painting, but have seen it on the internet and someone says it is her, so it may not be, but I like to think it is. lol. She doesn't look nearly 40 though does she? Although I suppose there is artistic license. lol

[Just Barbara]

Tom, she looks like she must have been very pretty...........

[Paul Barton, Special Agent]

Did yo know there is a Liardet Street, New Plymouth, N.Z. and Liardet St., Vogeltown, Wellington, N.Z. ?

[Paul Barton, Special Agent]

There's loads on the Liardet family on this site:

Papers Past

For instance...

Death of Captain Liardet. — The Melbourne Argus gives the following obituary notice of Captain Liardet, who was connected with the early colonisation of New Zealand, behaving held the appointment of Agent for the New Zealand Company at New Plymouth at the time that settlement was formed : —

" Captain Francis Liardet died, on the Ist of March, at the Royal Hospital, Greenwich, aged sixty-five. He was the second son of Captain John Liardet, R.N., entered the service at a very early age and wason board the Belvidere frigate, Captain Byron, when she fought the memorable engagement with Commodore Rogers. Some years afterwards, he served under Captain Hobson (after whom the bay in this port is named), in the arduous service of extirpating the pirates in the West Indies, where he highly distinguished himself, and was particularly fortunate in saving the life of Captain Hobson on that service.

Some years afterwards he was appointed to the command of the Powerful, 84, Commodore Sir Charles Napier, and for his gallant services in the taking of Acre, was posted.

Captain Liardet accepted the Agency for the New Zealand Company at Turanaki, New Zealand, where he met with a serious accident from loading a cannon, by which he lost tlie sight of one eye, the other being greatly injured ; he was compelled to return to England, where he was appointed to the captaincy of the Royal Hospital, Greenwich.

The captain was celebrated in the service as a splendid swimmer ; he risked his life on several desperate occasions, with wonderful success. Captain Liardet married the sister of the late Sir Edmond Filmer, Bart., and leaves a widow, son and daughter, with a numerous circle of acquaintances and brother officers, to deplore their loss. Captain Liardet was the author of a work of instruction for the junior officers of the Royal Navy, which is universally adopted by the officers of that class."

[Adam]

Thats interesting Barbara.

The problem is with this lot is that her parents were escapees from the french revolution and the family went over to NZ at some point around 1840.

I don't actually own the painting, but have seen it on the internet and someone says it is her, so it may not be, but I like to think it is. lol. She doesn't look nearly 40 though does she? Although I suppose there is artistic license. lol

Dear Tom,

Ref:
The problem is with this lot is that her parents were escapees from the french revolution and the family went over to NZ at some point around 1840.

You might be surprised to learn, that 'this lot' weren't necessarily escapees from the French Revolution - The Liardet Family came to England with Wiliam the Conquerer as his 'Chief' Religious Advisor and only one part of the Family went to NZ, another went to Australia. See establishment of Port Melboune.

[Tom Tom]

Adam, I have seen it in several journals and places written that they WERE escapees from the revolution and her uncle of great uncle was excecuted.

Also, on the 1841 census I have found her Mother whose birth place is given as F, meaning foreign lands.