Personal data
Henrietta Dundas
ca.
Born 1748   Died December 8, 1832  
in Edinburgh
Viscountess Duncan

Daughter of Robert Dundas (1713-1787), sometime Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland, and Henrietta Carmichael (d. 1755). In 1777 she married Captain (later Admiral) Adam Duncan (1731-1804), who in the fall of 1797 was made Viscount Duncan of Camperdown and Baron Duncan of Lundie, in recognition of his impressive victory over a Dutch fleet earlier that year.1 The couple had at least four daughters and two sons, including Robert (1785-1859)2 and Henry (1786-1835).3

An obituary in Gentleman's Magazine said of her that "Her many amiable qualities and her fascinating manners will long endear the memory of Lady Duncan. She continued in possession of all her faculties to her advanced age."4

She lies buried at the Canongate Churchyard in Edinburgh.

Boswell visited Arniston House, the home of the Dundas family, in January 1767. He describes in his journal how he played "Dams with Miss Dundas"5 and that she was a "fine girl. Liked her very well; was retenu for fear of appearing lover."6

  • 1See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Duncan,_1st_Viscount_Duncan
  • 2Robert Dundas Haldane-Duncan (1785-1859) married Janet Hamilton-Dalrymple in 1805. In 1831 he was created 1st Earl of Camperdown.
  • 3Henry Duncan (1786-1835), like his father, had a successful naval career and was appointed a Companion  of the Order of the Bath as well as Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order. He married Mary Simon Crawford, daughter of James Coutts Crawford, a naval officer. They had two surviving children, Adam Alexander and Anne Mary.
  • 4Gentleman's Magazine (1832) quoted from http://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Lady_Viscountess_Duncan 
  • 5Journal entry January 10, 1767
  • 6Journal entry January 12, 1767
Boswell in Search of a Wife 1766-1769

Unless otherwise noted, the source for a dated quotation of Boswell's is generally the corresponding volume of the Yale Trade Editions of Boswell's journals.