Anne Langton
Encyclopedia
Anne Langton was an aristocratic English
artist who specialized in landscapes and miniature portraiture. In 1837, she settled on the frontier
in Upper Canada
, where she continued her artwork and also became known for her writing.
She was born to Thomas and Ellen Langton in the Yorkshire Dales
, but within a few months, they moved to Lancashire
, where she was raised in a mansion named Blythe Hall, near Ormskirk
. She and her older brother John and younger brother William were educated at home by their parents and private tutors.
Her family travelled extensively through Austria, Belgium, France, Italy , Germany, and Switzerland, while the children received private art lessons from masters and exposure to literary figures wherever they stayed.
Following the Napoleonic Wars
, which ended in 1815, Thomas Langton's business in England became unstable and the family was forced to return to England from their travels and studies in 1821. On their return they were forced to sell their mansion, dismiss all but one servant, and move to a small townhouse in Liverpool
. At age 16, Anne took on many of the houskeeping duties and the care of here aging parents, while continuing her art work and training when possible.
After further financial losses, the family moved to Bootle
, a small spa town north of Liverpool. Anne continued to hone her artistic skills and to visit friends and relatives throughout Britain
for access to landscapes to sketch. She was also adept at painting miniatures in watercolor on ivory.
In 1833, Anne's brother John, after graduating from Cambridge, emigrated to Upper Canada and the family moved into a smaller house in Bootle. By this time, nearing 30 years of age, Anne had not married and was experiencing hearing loss. By 1836, Anne's brother William had become a very successful Manchester
businessman and he offered to pay his family's living expenses to enable them to stay in England, but the next year the family decided to join John Langdon in Canada
.
Anne, her parents, and a maiden aunt, departed from Liverpool on May 24, 1837 and arrived in New York
three weeks later. Their land journey through Toronto
to arrived Peterborough, Ontario
took nearly two months, due to sightseeing at New York and Niagara Falls
, visiting, and several illnesses on the way. They settled on John's farm on Sturgeon Lake
, near Fenelon Falls, Ontario
.
She died in Toronto at age 88.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist who specialized in landscapes and miniature portraiture. In 1837, she settled on the frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, where she continued her artwork and also became known for her writing.
She was born to Thomas and Ellen Langton in the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
, but within a few months, they moved to Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, where she was raised in a mansion named Blythe Hall, near Ormskirk
Ormskirk
Ormskirk is a market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool city centre, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston.-Geography and administration:...
. She and her older brother John and younger brother William were educated at home by their parents and private tutors.
Her family travelled extensively through Austria, Belgium, France, Italy , Germany, and Switzerland, while the children received private art lessons from masters and exposure to literary figures wherever they stayed.
Following the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, which ended in 1815, Thomas Langton's business in England became unstable and the family was forced to return to England from their travels and studies in 1821. On their return they were forced to sell their mansion, dismiss all but one servant, and move to a small townhouse in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. At age 16, Anne took on many of the houskeeping duties and the care of here aging parents, while continuing her art work and training when possible.
After further financial losses, the family moved to Bootle
Bootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
, a small spa town north of Liverpool. Anne continued to hone her artistic skills and to visit friends and relatives throughout Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for access to landscapes to sketch. She was also adept at painting miniatures in watercolor on ivory.
In 1833, Anne's brother John, after graduating from Cambridge, emigrated to Upper Canada and the family moved into a smaller house in Bootle. By this time, nearing 30 years of age, Anne had not married and was experiencing hearing loss. By 1836, Anne's brother William had become a very successful Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
businessman and he offered to pay his family's living expenses to enable them to stay in England, but the next year the family decided to join John Langdon in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Anne, her parents, and a maiden aunt, departed from Liverpool on May 24, 1837 and arrived in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
three weeks later. Their land journey through Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to arrived Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
took nearly two months, due to sightseeing at New York and Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, visiting, and several illnesses on the way. They settled on John's farm on Sturgeon Lake
Sturgeon Lake (Ontario)
Sturgeon Lake is a lake in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. The lake is Y shaped and has the communities of Fenelon Falls, Lindsay, Sturgeon Point and Bobcaygeon at the north-west, south, central and north-east points of the Y respectively...
, near Fenelon Falls, Ontario
Fenelon Falls, Ontario
Fenelon Falls is a village in Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Kawartha Lakes. Nicknamed the "Jewel of the Kawarthas," it has a population of 1,800 permanent inhabitants, which swells in the summer due to tourism and cottaging. Fenelon Falls is home to lock 34 on the Trent-Severn Waterway...
.
She died in Toronto at age 88.