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250 years since the first meeting

250 years ago today a living legend walked into a small bookshop near Covent Garden. That legend was (Dr.) Samuel Johnson - lexicographer, author, literary critic, wit, etc. In the shop was a young Scotsman, who had for a long time hoped to meet the great Johnson. That young man was James Boswell, the 22 year old son af a Scottish judge, who had reluctantly allowed the young son to go to London for half a year, in the vain hope that he would get the big city and wild dreams of a career in the guards out of his system.

Boswell Book Festival 2013 programme

The long-awaited programme for the Boswell Book Festival 2013, which will take place May 17-19 in the grounds of Auchinleck House, has been released, and it looks amazing! Editor of the Yale Boswell papers, Gordon Turnbull, will return to Auchinleck, and on Saturday evening brilliant actor John Sessions will perform his brand new play A Life in Music. John will be back on the next day to end the festival with a portrayal of James Boswell himself.

Third volume of the Yale Research Manuscript edition has been published

The third volume of the annotated Yale edition of the original Life of Johnson manuscript has recently been published and is now available worldwide. The long awaited volume has been edited by Prof. Thomas F. Bonnell who is also already working on the fourth and final volume in that particular sub-series of the Yale research editions.

A visit to 8 Russell Street

I visited London in June 2012 and included 8 Russell Street, Covent Garden in my itinerary. As many visitors to this website will know, 8 Russell Street, built in 1759/60, was from the 1760s and until his death occupied by actor and bookseller Thomas Davies who on May 16, 1763, introduced James Boswell and Dr. Johnson to each other for the first time, in those very premises.

Boswell Book Festival 2012

The programme for this years Boswell Book Festival has now been published. The festival will be held on May 11 - 13, 2012, and once again it willl take place mostly on the grounds of Auchinleck House. This year it is being accompanied by a number of satellite events, such as the "Boswell in the Square" fair in Cumnock, special tours of nearby Dumfries House, a lecture by Dr. Gordon Turnbull at the University of the West of Scotland and tastings of Grant's Whiskey.

Who are James Boswell's descendants?

Question

Who are James Boswell's descendants?

Answer

We have created a simple list of James Boswell's descendants below. However, for a more user-friendly experience, we have also created the website boswell-family.com, which is an entire genealogical site based about James Boswell and his ancestors, descendants and other relatives. It provides the opportunity to see descendants and ancestor charts, as well as to compute the relationship between Boswell and any other person in the database, such as King Edward III of England.

If you don't need the extra tools and more complete information available on boswell-family.com, please see the simple list of descendants below:

Descendants of James Boswell (1740-1795):

With Peggy Doig:

Charles Boswell (1762–1763)

With Mrs. Dodds:

Sally (1767–1768?)

With Margaret Montgomerie:

    1. Veronica Boswell (1773–1795) (unmarried)
    2. Euphemia (1774-ca. 1834) (unmarried)
    3. Alexander Boswell (1775–1822) m. (1799?) Griselle Cuming
      1. James Boswell (d. 1857), 2nd Baronet of Auchinleck, m. Jessie Jean Montgomerie-Cuninghame (d. 1884)
        1. Julia Grace Jessie Jane Boswell (d. 1905) m. George Mounsey. Died without issue.
        2. Emily Harriette Boswell (d. 1898) m. (1873) Richard Wogan Talbot, 5th Baron Talbot of Malahide (d. 1921)
          1. James Boswell Talbot (1874-1948), 6th Baron Talbot of Malahide, m. Joyce Gunning Kerr. Died without issue.
      2. Janet Theresa Boswell (d. 1836) m. (1826) William Francis Eliott, 7th Baronet of Stobbs
        1. Jessie Blanche Adelaide Eliott (d. 1898) m. (1868) James John Wood
        2. Frances Elizabeth Eliott (d. 1869) m. (1855) Edmond Forrest
        3. William Francis Augustus Eliott (1827-1910), 8th Baronet of Stobbs, m. 1) (1846) Charlotte Marie Wood, m. 2) 1879) Hannah Grissell Birkett
          1. Grace Theresa Blanche Eliott (1851-1932), died without issue
        4. Alexander Boswell Eliott (1830-1882), m. 1) (1855) Catherine Craigie, m. 2) (1858) Annabella Carmichael
          1. Arthur Augustus Boswell Eliott (1856-1926), 9th Baronet of Stobbs m. Lilia Burbank
            1. Marie Vera Margaret Emily Boswell Eliott (d. 1955) m. (1) (1912) Edward Boies Cowles, m. (2) (1921) John Francis Barry (d. 1954)
            2. Beatrice Maud Boswell Eliott (d. 1975) m. (1925) Frank Vincent Burton
              1. Beatrice Leila Eliott Burton (1926-2009) (aka. Leila Hadley) m. 1) (1944) Arthur Twining Hadley, 2) (1953) Yvor Hyatt Smitter, 3) (1969) Hans Gillner, 4) (1978) William C. Musham, 5) (1990) Henry Luce III
                1. Living descendants
            3. Gilbert Alexander Boswell Eliott (1885-1958), 10th Baronet of Stobbs, m. (1912) Dora Flournoyonly Hopkins (d. 1978)
              1. Charlotte Elgitha Veronica Boswell Eliott (b. 1913) m. (1) (1936) Landon Ketchum Thorne, m. (2) (1946) Stanley Herbert Maxted (d. 1963), m. (3) (1964) Thomas Talford Mosby
              2. Arthur Francis Augustus Boswell Eliott (1915-1989), 11th Baronet of Stobbs, m. (1947) Frances Aileen McClean
                1. Margaret Frances Boswell Eliott (b. 1948), m. (1) (1974) Anthony Edward Beaumont Vaughan-Arbuckle, m. (2) (1990) Christopher Powell Wilkins
                  1. Benjamin Robert Eliott Vaughan-Arbuckle (b. 1978)
                  2. Kate Frances Eliott Vaughan-Arbuckle (b. 1981)
              3. John Livingston Hopkins Boswell Eliott (1916-1942)
              4. Jean Cecilia Constance Eliott (b. 1920) m. (1) (1940) Alfred Nigel Parker, m. (2) (1953) Alan Edward Seton Jackson
                1. Alwyn Colin John Parker (b. 1940), m. (1966) Sarah Ann Hayes
                  1. Nigel Henry Parker (b. 1968) 
                2. Veronica Gillean Parker (b. 1942)
                3. Andrew Conway Jackson (b. 1954) m. (1983) Virginia Rosemary Griffith
                4. Roderick Edward Jackson (b. 1956) m. (1981) Rachel Wallis
          2. Alexander Boswell Vassal Elliott (1865/1867-1924) m. (1891) Hannah Josephine Kavanagh (ca. 1865-1943)
            1. Gertude May Eliott (b. 1893) m. (1929) Henry Wilson Mercer
            2. Constantine Elizabeth Eliott (b. 1894) m. Clarence Quinn
            3. Annabella Carmichael Eliott (b. 1897) m. (1927) James Bryson
            4. Charles Rawdon Heathfield Eliott (1901-1972) m. (1927) Emma Elizabeth Harris
              1. Dulcie Josephine Eliott (b. 1928) m. (1949) Joseph Heather
              2. Irene Gertrude Eliott (b. 1930) m. (1950) Peter Brown
              3. Myrtle Doris Trease Eliott (b. 1935) m. Andy Siebold
              4. Charles Joseph Alexander Eliott (b. 1937), 12th Baronet of Stobbs, m. (1959) Wendy Judith Bailey
                1. Elizabeth Eliott (b. 1960)
                2. Jenny Eliott (b. 1962)
                3. Josephine Mary Anne Eliott (b. 1963)
                4. Rodney Gilbert Charles Eliott (b. 1966)
                5. Clare Melinda Eliott (b. 1973)
              5. Belle Loraine Eliott (b. 1939)
              6. Clive John Eliott (1940-1971) m. (1961) Estelle Maude Kelland
                1. Bradley John Eliott (b. 1962)
                2. Anthony Charles Eliott (b. 1966)
                3. Dale Thomas Eliott (b. 1969)
              7. Keith Robert Vincent Eliott (b. 1942) m. (1965) Annette May Nielsen-Kvirgaard
                1. Brett Robert Vincent Eliott (b. 1966)
              8. Raymond Francis Vincent Eliott (b. 1945)
          3. Rawdon Popham Vassall Eliott (1869-1925) m. Nellie Thompson. Died without issue.
          4. Charles James Eliott (1875-1953), died without issue
        5. George Augustus Leslie Eliott (1833-1854) m. (1853) Mary Rattray
          1. George Augustus Cuming Eliott (1854-1892) m. Edith Maude Hamilton. Died without issue.
      3. Margaret Amelia Boswell (d. 1890) m. Maj.-Gen. Vassall of Balhary. Died without issue.
    4. James Boswell (1778–1822) (unmarried)
    5. Elizabeth Boswell (1780–1814)  m. (1799) William Boswell (d. 1841)
      1. Robert Cramond Boswell (1801-1823)
      2. James Paoli Boswell (1802-1821)
      3. Elizabeth Margaret Montgomerie Boswell (1803-ca. 1873) m. John Williams
        1. Elizabeth Anne Wiliams (1841-?) m. Rev. Charles E Cumberlege-Ware (d. 1871)
          1. Charles Edward Cumberlege-Ware (1866-1946) m. Beatrice Susan Bell (d. 1954)
            1. Violet Beryl Cumberlege-Ware (1898-1982) m. Victor Francis Staples Hawkins (1896-1975)
              1. Alison Patricia Hawkins (1924-?) m. Brian Thackeray Synge
                1. Norah Melanie Synge (b. 1947) m. 1) (1969) Anthony Michael Elliott, m. 2) (1984) Charles Rose Birkett
                  1. Rupert Francis William Elliott (b. 1970) m. Joanne Sawbridge
                    1. Poppy Elisabeth Grace Elliott (b. 2008)
                  2. Francesca Elisabeth Elliot (b. 1972) m. Jonathan David Bostock
                    1. Oliver Hamilton Bostock (b. 2002)
                    2. Felix Millington Bostock (b. 2004)
                    3. Archie Ernest Bostock) (b. 2006)
                  3. Alice Emily Rose Birkett (b. 1984)
                  4. Charles John Ross Birkett (b. 1987)
                2. Barry Edward Thackeray Synge (b. 1949) m. (1986) Moira French Macdonald
                3. Mark Millington Synge (b. 1953) m. (1954) Clare Victoria Francis
                  1. Annabel Synge (b. 1987)
                  2. Georgina Rosa Synge (b. 1989)
              2. John Brian St. Vincent Hawkins (1929-2014) m. Diana Joan Lucas (1931-1994)
                1. Rowena Fay Hawkins (b. 1955) m. 1) (1986) David Lawrence Barrow (d. 1989), m. 2) (1996) Michael Richard Ward
                2. Wendy Susan Hawkins (b. 1957) m. (1988) Robert Leonard Creed
                  1. Andrea Joanna Hawkins-Creed (b. 1989)
                  2. Richard David Francis Hawkins-Creed (b. 1991)
      4. Bruce Boswell (1805-1855) m. Anne Tronson
      5. Sibella Boswell (1806-1807)
      6. William Boswell (1809-1809)
      7. Alexander Boswell (1809-1809)
      8. Elizabeth Frances Boswell (1810-1812)
      9. Annie Boswell (1812-1813)

 

This chart is compiled by information from different sources, especially from thepeerage.com and from information in the Yale research editions of the Boswell papers. There is no information about living persons in this chart, which has not already been made publicly available elsewhere. 

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