Portrait of Anne Frodsham - Hazelhurst, Thomas (1782)
Title devised by cataloguer.
Sitter identified as Anne Frodsham (nee Leigh) wife of Captain John Frodsham. See also #R3981
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Captain John Frodsham (1735-1791) and his wife Anne Leigh (d. 1830), were married in 1780. John Frodsham was baptised in Rostherne, Cheshire, and Anne Leigh's family were from High Legh, which is close to Rostherne, while Thomas Hazlehurst came from nearby Statham. The year 1782 was particularly significant in Frodsham's naval career. He was returning from Accra in command of the sloop Alligator, carrying despatches from Captain Thomas Shirley, when he was involved in an action with the French frigate La Fée on 26 June 1782, during which he was taken captive. The incident is reported in the Universal Magazine of Knowledge & Pleasure (vol. 71, July 1782, pp. 58-59) - the very publication held so prominently by his wife in her portrait. Frodsham was made a captain on 10 October 1782 (R. Beatson, A Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 1, London, 1808, p. 343), so the portraits may have been painted to commemorate his safe return and promotion.--Information supplied by researcher.
Keywords: Frodsham, Anne, -- -1830 -- Portraits; Navy spouses -- Great Britain -- Portraits; Women -- Great Britain -- Portraits