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Sally Forrester

Biography


Birth: n/a
Death: n/a

Boswell's first love in London in 1760. He tried to find her , on November 21, 1762 in her former lodgings at The Blue Periwig (in Pall Mall?), but he was informed that the former owners had died, and could get no information on her whereabouts.

The next year, on June 11, 1763 while watching a horse riding act in Chelsea, he spotted her among the audience, and spoke to her. She was now married to a Scottish officer, Capt. Peter Grant, but agreed to let him visit her in her friend Mrs. Tredwell's house. This cheered him up, and he described it as a happy and special occasion.

In his journal Boswell referred to her as his Paphian Queen and first Lady of Venus's Bedchamber. Peter Martin, in his 2000 biography of JB, refers to Boswell's memorable visit to his first prostitute, Sally Forrester (p. 69). I haven't seen any source material that fully supports the thesis that Sally Forrester was in fact a prostitute in 1760, but it is possible of course.

Life with James Boswell

Mentioned in

Sally Forrester is mentioned in:

  • London Journal 1762-1763

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Did you know?

James Boswell died in 1795 believing he had touched and kissed a cache of Shakespeare's original letters and papers discovered by a Mr. Ireland. His friend, Edmond Malone, publicly exposed the lot as a forgery just a year later.

(C) Thomas Frandzen 2004-2010