Hannah Lightfoot, if you believe these things, was the mistress of George, Prince of Wales. She was born in 1730, the daughter of a shoemaker in Wapping. Three or so years later her father died and she was adopted by her uncle Henry Wheeler, a linen draper. So far so good. Hannah, a quaker, married clandestinely outside the Friends. it wasn’t long before she discovered her error and fled her husband, a man named Isaac Axford. This was 1755. There was nothing more heard of Hannah and in 1759 Isaac remarried. he either thought she was dead or since Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act was passed in 1753 he believed that the union was invalid – clandestine marriages being banned at that time.
And then we start moving into the realms of gossip and conspiracy. Wheeler’s merchandise was sold at St James’ Market and it just so happens that the Young Prince of Wales noticed her there…or at a ball…take your pick. The Public Advertiser of 7 September 1770 calls her the ‘Fair Quaker’ and it suggests that she and the Prince of Wales were having an affair. In some versions of the story George persuaded her to marry Axford and in other versions she just marries George and moves to Peckham. In 1866 Mrs Lavinia Ryves went to court claiming that her mother was the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Cumberland – the brother of George III. Her mother Olive, claimed that George III left her £15,000 as his niece. The claim was thrown out. More documents appeared including a marriage between George and Hannah in 1759 – in two different places! The first at Kew Chapel and the following month, May, in Peckham. The officiant on both occasions was James Wilmot.
There were two sons and a daughter.
And now for the conspiracy theories! in 1845 the parish records of St Anne’s Chapel Kew were stolen and later found in the Thames…without the records. And in Carmarthen the grave of Charlotte Dalton, the grand daughter of Hannah perhaps explains the presence of the George III pipe organ – made for the king in a church with no known royal connections. There was a television programme about it in the 1990s but in truth the genuine family history of the family purporting to be that of George III is a long way distant from royalty.
Tendered, Mary L., The Fair Quaker Hannah Lightfoot and Her Relations with George III (London: 1910)
Lindsay, John, The Lovely Quaker, (London, 1939)
And then we start moving into the mists
I wonder if the Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot is related to her?
Fascinating.. I love a good conspiracy theory!
Me too.
Being a many times g-granddaughter of Hannah Lightfoot, I love reading these interesting, speculative stories.
Hannah Lightfoot and King George the III are supposed to be my 6th Great Grandparents on my father’s side. I have a lot of documents showing my family in his line but I am still researching it, some hypothesis, some is verified. Seems there is always a different story about them two so it’s hard to know which one is true.
All part of the fun of family history!
Ironic,I was raised to believe I too am descended from George III!I wonder.
It’s a wonderful story – and Hannah certainly disappeared. There’s no indication of where she went. The thing about the written record is that a good secret is always a good secret – its why historical fiction is so much fun.
The true story was concealed within the Royal Family’s archives and was never revealed for almost 200 years until the actual marriage certificate was made public in 1966. However, according to the Royal Marriages Act 1772, a marriage by a member of the Royal Family is invalid unless it first receives the Sovereign’s consent. The Royal Marriages Act 1772 was replaced in 2013 with the Succession to the Crown Act whereby the line of succession now goes to the eldest child born after October 28, 2011, regardless of sex, ended disqualification for marrying a Roman Catholic, and seeking the Sovereign’s approval to marry now only applies to the first six persons in line to the throne. So, the marriage between George, Prince of Wales, and Hannah Lightfoot, did take place but it was not validated in advance by King George II and likely would have never received consent anyway. It was likely scandalous in the days of King George II whereby the marriage of a future king (George, Prince of Wales who became King George III) should be with a member of royalty or nobility. One of the sons of George, Prince of Wales, and Hannah Lightfoot was General John Mackelcan. The name ‘Mackelcan’ in Gaelic means ‘Son of the White Horse’ the emblem of the House of Hanover to which King George III belonged. General John Mackelcan married at the Isle of Guernsey and died in 1838. He had four sons and three daughters. One of the sons of General John Mackelcan, Dr. John Mackelcan, moved to Canada in the mid-1800s and died in Hamilton, Ontario. Several generations of descendants still live in Canada and the U,S.
A fascinating update. thank you.
“if you believe these things” as an opening statement simply reeks of bias.
it does rather – but then George was a 15 year old under close supervision of his mother and Lord Bute. Hannah Lightfoot definitely disappeared but whether she ran away, was abducted or murdered is another matter entirely. There’s circumstantial evidence, rumour and gossip – so I’m quite happy with the starting point ‘if you believe the things’ – there’re plenty of other historical examples lacking sufficient evidence to draw concrete conclusions – that’s not to say evidence may not be uncovered at a later date – look at Richard III’s skeleton as a really good instance of someone pursuing the evidence and finding answers.
This is what came of my DNA results. I had heard things about this connection from my Grandmother Ester Dayton (Logue) who was married to my Grandfather Guy Ellsworth Logue. I in no way consider myself a blue blood, but the connection fascinates me. I have also been in contact with a researcher who said that Queen Elizabeth had George Jacob Rex’s gravesite in Jefferson, Pennsylvania filled with lead.
Relationship to me
King George III William Friedrich *House of Guelph (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph 1738-1820
6th great-grandfather
George Jacob Rex Junior William Friedrich *House of Guelph *** (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph * King George IV? * 1750-1821
Son of King George III William Friedrich *House of Guelph (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph
Elizabeth Rex Bower 1775-1852
Daughter of George Jacob Rex Junior William Friedrich *House of Guelph *** (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph * King George IV? *
Elizabeth Bowers 1792-1879
Daughter of Elizabeth Rex Bower
Mary Kelley 1824-1891
Daughter of Elizabeth Bowers
Lucinda Kelly 1866-1924
Daughter of Mary Kelley
Guy Ellsworth Logue 1894-1952
Son of Lucinda Kelly
Howard Logue 1941-2021
Son of Guy Ellsworth Logue
Michael J Baer
You are the son of Howard Logue
Crikey – its all interesting. The lead infill is particularly interesting – I’m adding it to my ever increasing list to find out more. Thank you.
You’re welcome!
This is what I got out of my DNA test results. I had heard a story when I was younger from my Grandmother Ester Dayton Logue who was married to my Grandfather Guy Ellsworth Logue, which this connection runs through. I am Michael James Baer. ( Baer was the name given to me due to there being no no-fault divorce in 1970, I am a Logue by blood. )
Relationship to me
King George III William Friedrich *House of Guelph (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph 1738-1820
6th great-grandfather
George Jacob Rex Junior William Friedrich *House of Guelph *** (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph * King George IV? * 1750-1821
Son of King George III William Friedrich *House of Guelph (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph
Elizabeth Rex Bower 1775-1852
Daughter of George Jacob Rex Junior William Friedrich *House of Guelph *** (Hanover)* Frederic-Lewis Guelph * King George IV? *
Elizabeth Bowers 1792-1879
Daughter of Elizabeth Rex Bower
Mary Kelley 1824-1891
Daughter of Elizabeth Bowers
Lucinda Kelly 1866-1924
Daughter of Mary Kelley
Guy Ellsworth Logue 1894-1952
Son of Lucinda Kelly
Howard Logue 1941-2021
Son of Guy Ellsworth Logue
Michael J Baer
You are the son of Howard Logue
When Queen Charlotte heard about the previous Hannah Lightfoot marriage, she insisted on another ceremony to secure her children ‘s position. There’s always the possibility that the bigamous marriage was the cause of George III’ s madness!
I know where she ended up she lived in Greene Co Pennsylvania and she truly is my great grandmother a few times removed