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Mary Champion de Crespigny (née Clarke; c. 1749 - 12 July 1812) was an English novelist and letter writer.

Mary Champion de Crespigny
Born	Mary Clarke c. 1749
Died	(1812-07-12)12 July 1812 Richmond House, Richmond
Notable works	The Pavilion
Spouse	Sir Claude Champion de Crespigny, 1st Baronet (1734–1818)
Children	Sir William Champion de Crespigny, 2nd Baronet (1765–1829)

Personal life

Mary Clarke was born c. 1749, an only daughter.[1]

She married Sir Claude Champion de Crespigny, 1st Baronet. They had one child, a son named William, born on 1 January 1765.[2] William was educated at Eton College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge[2] and was MP for Southampton 1818–1826.[2][3]

She died at Richmond House on 12 July 1812.[1]

Writing

Around 1780, Mary Champion de Crespigny wrote a series of letters to her son, William, then aged 15. These were published as Letters of Advice from a Mother to her Son in 1803 and were dedicated to John Moore, the Archbishop of Canterbury.[1]

In 1796, she published her only novel, The Pavilion, in four volumes.[1]

She is one of the "lost" women writers listed by Dale Spender in Mothers of the Novel: 100 Good Women Writers Before Jane Austen.

References

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