On 9 June 1816 The Observer newspaper carried an obituary of Jane Lewson, who was reportedly 116 when she died at her home in Cold-bath Fields in Clerkenwell, London. Decades later she was identified as a possible model for Miss Havisham, the bride who never was, in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations (published 1861).
Charles Dickens was four when Jane Lewson died. Other candidates for the inspiration behind Miss Havisham include Eliza Emily Donnithorne (1827–1886) of Camperdown, Sydney, a wealthy recluse called Elizabeth Parker, an American called Eliza Jumel, who suffered from dementia
The obituary was published in various edited forms in many publications, including
A SINGULAR CHARACTER
On Tuesday, the 28th of May, died at her house, No. 12, Cold-bath-square, at the very advanced age of 116 years, Mrs. Jane Lewson, commonly called Lady Lewson, from her very eccentric manner of dress. In recording this instance of unusual longevity, some account of her may not, perhaps, be uninteresting to our readers.
Mrs. Jane Lewson, was born in the year 1700, during the reign of William and Mary, in Essex-street, in the Strand, of most respectable parents of the name of Vaughan, and was married at an early age to a wealthy gentleman of the name of Lewson, then living in the house in which she died. She became a widow at the age of twenty-six, having only one daughter living at the time. Mrs. Lewson being left by her husband in affluent circumstances, preferred to continue single, and remained so, although she had many suitors. When her daughter married, being left alone, she became fond of retirement, & rarely went out, or permitted the visits of any person.
For the last 30 years she had kept no servant, except one old female, who died ten years ago; she was succeeded by the old woman’s grand-daughter, who got married about three years since; and she was succeeded by an old man, who attended the different houses in the square to go of errands, clean shoes, &c. Mrs. Lewson took this man into her house, and he acted as her steward, butler, cook, and housemaid, and with the exception of two old lap dogs and a cat, he was her only companion.
The house she occupied was large and elegantly furnished, but very ancient; the beds were kept constantly made, although they had not been slept in for about 50 years. Her apartment being only occasionally swept out, but never washed, the windows were so crusted with dirt, that they hardly admitted a ray of light. A large garden in the rear of her house was the only thing she paid attention to; this was always kept in good order, and here, when the weather permitted, she enjoyed the air, or sometimes sat and read of which she was particular[l] fond; or else chatted on times past with any of the few remaining acquaintances whose visits she permitted. She seldom visited herself, except at Mr. Jones, the grocer in the square, with whom she dealt. She had for many years survived every individual of her relatives within many degrees of kindred.
She was so partial to the fashions that prevailed in her youthful days, that she never changed the manner of her dress from that worn in the reign of George the first. She always wore powder with a large tate, made of horse hair on her head, near half a foot high, over which her hair was turned up; a cap over it which knotted under her chin, and three or four curls hanging down her neck. She generally wore silk gowns and the train long, with a deep flounce all round, a very long waist, and very tightly laced up to her neck, round which was a kind of ruff, or frill. The sleeves of her gown came below the elbow, from each of which four or five cuffs were attached; a large straw bonnet quite flat, high heeled shoes, a large black silk cloak, trimmed round lace, and a gold-headed cane, completed her every day costume for the last 80 years, & in which she walked round the square, on which account she was known by the name of Lady Lewson.
Her manner of living was so methodical, that she would not drink her tea out of any other than a favourite cup. She was equally particular with respect to her knives, forkes, plates, &c. At breakfast she arranged in a particular way the paraphernalia of the tea table; at dinner she also observed a general rule, and always sat in her favourite chair. She always enjoyed an excellent state of health, assisted in regulating her house, and never had until a little previous to her decease an hour’s illness. She entertained the greatest aversion to medicine, and what is remarkable she cut two new teeth at the age of 87, and never lost one in her life, nor was she ever troubled with tooth-ach[e]. Her sight latterly failed her.
She lived in five reigns, and was supposed the most faithful living historian of the age, the events of the year 1715 being fresh in her recollection. A few days previous to her death an old lady, who was her neighbour died suddenly, which had such an effect on her, that she frequently said her time was also come, and she should soon follow. She enjoyed all her faculties until that period, when she became weak, took to her bed, and refused medical aid; her conduct to her few distant relations was exceedingly capricious and she would never see any of them; and it was not until a few hours before her dissolution, that any alteration was observed in her temper.
She was buried in Bunhill-fields burying-ground on Monday last. The funeral consisted of a hearse and four, and two mourning carriages, in which were Mr. Anthony, of Red Lion-street, Clerkenwell, her executor, and some relations.
Notes
I have inserted paragraphs to make the article easier to read.
The Observer story omits a detail found in the Dictionary of National Biography (1893):
Her terror of taking cold led her to prohibit the use of water in her house, with the result that the windows and walls became in course of time completely crusted with dirt. Her face and hands she was in the habit of lubricating with lard.
A biography, A True and Wonderful Account of Jane Lewson, was published in 1816.
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