Edith Blake
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Lady Edith Blake |
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|---|---|
| Born |
Edith Bernal Osborne 7 Feb 1846 Newtown Anner House, Clonmel |
| Died | 18 April 1926 (aged 80) Myrtle Grove, Youghal |
| Resting place | Myrtle Grove, Youghal |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Known for | botanical illustration |
| Notable work | studies of Jamaican lepidoptera |
| Spouse(s) | Henry Arthur Blake, Governor of The Bahamas, Newfoundland, Jamaica, Hong Kong & Ceylon |
| Parent(s) | Catherine Isabella Osborne and Ralph Bernal Osborne |
| Relatives | Fanny Currey |
Lady Edith Blake (7 Feb 1846 – 18 April 1926) was an Irish botanical illustrator and writer, noted for her work on the flora and fauna of countries such as The Bahamas, Jamaica and Ceylon.
Edith Blake was born Edith Bernal Osborne on 7 Feb 1846 in Newtown Anner House, near Clonmel, County Tipperary. Though her date of birth is often cited at 1845. She was the eldest daughter of Catherine Isabella Osborne and Ralph Bernal Osborne, who took his wife's surname following their marriage in 1844. The Osbornes appear to have become estranged early in their marriage, with her father living in London, seeing Edith and her Grace raised by her mother alone. Mrs Osbourne was a talented artist, and encouraged both her daughters to take up artistic pursuits. Artists often stayed at Newtown Anner, including Thomas Shotter Boys and Alexandre Calame, and it is possible the sisters received tuition from them. Edith developed an interest in botany around this time, corresponding over the years with Newtown Anner's garden designer Joseph Paxton. Fanny Currey was a frequent visitor to the house, with the pair collaborating on illustrating envelopes from 1858 to 1868.
In 1874 she married widower and Royal Irish Constabulary sub-inspector Henry Arthur Blake. As her parents did not approve of the marriage and had been arranging a suitable marriage for her, the couple eloped. Following the marriage, Edith was disinherited. They were sheltered for a time by friends Richard and Harriet Bagwell of Marlfield House. The couple went on have two sons and a daughter. They first moved to Belfast, seeing Henry appointed resident magistrate (RM) in 1876 and a "special RM" during the land war. When he received assassination threats, Edith would travel with him armed with a gun. Despite her husband's work, Blake was sympathetic to romantic nationalism and became friends with Anna Parnell.
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