Research into Ld Edward Fitzgerald's family

I would be grateful for any suggestions on this one. In the book
"Duchess of Leinster" by Brian Fitzgerald there are two references by
Ldy Emily Fitzgerald to a "Frances" that was obviously in her care in
the late 18th C. Can anyone suggest where I might be able to find
further information on this person? There were no children of Emily
Fitzgerald's living at that time called Frances.

C Rihan...

Could she have been her companion?
Or her maid?

If she was a relative, she could have been a niece or a cousin's daughter.
You would have to trace back a bit to work that out.

Bill...

Thanks but I don't think she was a maid or companion. Ldy Emily
referred to her servants by their surname.....never their first name.

One gets the impression that she was living with the Fitzgeralds
-perhaps holding a special place, but not one of an equal to Ldy
Emily's children. From Brian Fitzgerald's book it seems that she was
not on a short visit but had been living with the family at least for
three years. I have often wondered if she was an illegitimate child
of one of the children...but can find no information as to which one
this could have been.

It is interesting that when the Prince of Wales rode up to Ldy Emily's
coach in 1799 that Frances was in the coach with Ld Edward's son young
"Eddy".

I have really puzzled over this for many years and wondered if their
was some historian who specialised in a study of this fascinating
Fitzgerald family?

Was she with her a long time? Or only for a short visit?
In which case shw could have been the daughter of a friend.

Best wishes
C.Rihan

Is there a "Fitzgerald" expert historian anywhere?

Lesley Robertson...

Are you sure that the child's surname was Frances?
Lesley Robertson

Anne Chambers...

Surely that would be her forename ?

Bill...

Yes....but WHO is she? She seemed to be connected in some way to the
Fitzgerald family.....at least for three years (possibly quite a bit
longer) from 1799 to 1802. Emily comments to the Prince of Wales that
"Frances speaks French".....it seems likely that she is aged somewhere
from say 10 through to perhaps 20 at the most.

Bill...

Yes in Brian Fitzgerald's book he clearly quotes from a letter of Ldy
Emily to her son William (2nd Duke of Leinster) in which she refers to
a meeting with the Prince of Wales in 1799 and Frances was in the
carriage with her; the 2nd quote is from a letter from Ldy Emily to
her daughter Lucy in 1802 in which she gives a recipe for goosberry
tarts "the one that I gave to Frances".