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Catherine Talbot


(b. May 21, 1721, Berkshire, England – d. Jan. 9, 1770, Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square, London )

Gender: F

Catherine Talbot (1721-1770) was the only child of Edward Talbot, a younger son of William Talbot, Bishop of Durham. Her father died before she was born, and in 1725 Catherine and her mother went to live with Thomas Secker and his wife, and remained members of their household until Secker’s death in 1768. Secker was successively Bishop of Oxford, Dean of St Paul’s and Archbishop of Canterbury, and Catherine and her mother consequently lived from 1758 to 1768 at Lambeth Palace. Carter made the acquaintance of Samuel Richardson, who discussed his novel Sir Charles Grandison with her and sent her parts of the novel for her comments before publication. In February 1741, Talbot began a lifelong friendship with Elizabeth Carter; Carter’s letters to Talbot were published in 1808 by Carter’s nephew, Montagu Pennington. Talbot encouraged Carter to publish her translation of the works of Epictetus, and solicited subscriptions for the edition. Carter in turn arranged for the posthumous publication of Talbot’s work Reflections on the Seven Days of the Week (1770) and her Essays on Various Subjects (1772). On his death, Archbishop Secker left Catherine Talbot and her mother the substantial sum of £13,000. They moved to a house in Lower Grosvenor Street, where Catherine died of cancer after a protracted illness on 9th January 1770, at the age of forty-nine.

Also known as:

  • Catherine Talbot


Mentioned in 37 letters

Title EMCO ID
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, Duchess of Portland 391
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1054
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1063
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1064
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1065
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1067
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1069
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton of Frankley 1072
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1076
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1082
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1083
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1107
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1108
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1128
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1142
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1160
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1187
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1208
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1213
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1228
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1231
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1232
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1235
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1247
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1251
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1253
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1256
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2028
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2502
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2545
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2551
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2618
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2621
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2622
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2665
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Frances Evelyn Boscawen (Glanville) 2684
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2702


Please note that all dates and location information are provisional, initially taken from the library and archive catalogues. As our section editors continue to work through the material we will update our database and the changes will be reflected across the edition.

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