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Jane Williams
Jane Williams (née Jane Cleveland; 21 January 1798 – 8 November 1884) was a British woman best known for her association with the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Jane was raised in England and India, before marrying a naval officer and settling in London. She soon left him for another military officer, Edward Ellerker Williams. After Edward and she left England for Italy, they became acquainted with Percy and Mary Shelley. Though she never had a romantic relationship with Shelley, near the end of his life he became deeply infatuated with her and addressed several of his poems to her. After Shelley and Edward Williams perished in a boating accident, she lived with Thomas Jefferson Hogg, also a close friend of Shelley, and had two children with him. The rest of her life was spent as a housewife in London.
Jane was born in Marylebone into a wealthy family who owned an extensive library. Her mother gave birth to her when she was close to forty years old. Her father, who had spent much of his life working in India, died shortly after her birth. Her mother soon gambled away much of the family fortune. She was the family's fifth child.
As a girl, she learned to sing and to play the harp, the guitar, and the piano. By her mid teens, Jane possessed an annual annuity of only £30. Jane spent much of her early life around military officers. Her brother, John Wheeler Cleveland, was an officer in the British Army who eventually reached the rank of general. He was deployed to India as a young man. Jane spent part of her childhood in India. While in India, she learned Hindustani and remained proficient in the language throughout her life. She often incorporated Indian harmonies into her music.
After returning to London, she fell in love with John Edward Johnson, who was the captain of an East Indiaman. This was a potentially lucrative career, and they were married at St Pancras Old Church in 1814. Though she could have travelled with him, Jane remained at home. They soon separated, most likely due to abuse by John. Jane later said that she suffered "irreparable injuries" while married to him.
After John Johnson left on a voyage in May 1817 Jane decided to leave him for Edward Ellerker Williams, to whom she may have been introduced by John. Williams was an Eton College graduate who had served in the Navy before becoming a lieutenant in the 8th Dragoons. Edwards had inherited enough money from his father, a military historian and descendant of Oliver Cromwell, to allow them to live comfortably. Although they never legally married, she became his common-law wife and began referring to herself as Mrs. Jane Williams. Their relationship initially drew disapprobation from their families, with Jane's brother and Edward's stepmother reproaching them for their decisions. Jane's brother later apologised, and declared Johnson a "vile fellow". Edward's stepmother, however, always resented Jane. Though long distance mail moved very slowly then, Jane and her husband exchanged angry letters shortly after she left him for Edward. When John returned to London in late 1818, he made no attempt to force Jane to return to him, although it was his legal right to do so.
Jane and Edward decided to leave London in 1819 after listening to Edward's friend Thomas Medwin discuss his travels of Europe. They travelled to Geneva in September 1819 and stayed in a house that Medwin had found for them. By the time they arrived, Jane was four months pregnant. In February 1820, she gave birth to their first child, Edward Medwin Williams. That summer, Jane became pregnant again. Medwin left Geneva in September 1820 to visit his cousin, Percy Shelley, in Pisa. Jane and Edward then travelled to France for several months, before joining Medwin and the Shelleys in Pisa in January 1821.
Jane and Edward enjoyed living in Italy and immediately got along well with Percy and Mary Shelley. Medwin soon left them to travel to Rome. Their second child, Jane Rosalind, was born in March 1821. While they lived in Pisa the Shelleys and the Williamses often dined and went for walks together. Edward and Percy Shelley soon became close friends and often went boating, though this practice made their wives nervous. Percy Shelley often read his poetry to Edward, who was very impressed by its quality. Shelley also encouraged Edward to begin writing a play himself.
That summer, both couples moved into nearby summer homes. In November, they returned to Pisa and met Lord Byron, who had recently arrived there himself. The two couples later shared a house in a remote location near Lerici, where they were visited in early 1822 by Edward John Trelawny. Though they enjoyed each other's company, the house was small and the arrangements led to numerous conflicts between the servants of each family.
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Jane Williams
Jane Williams (née Jane Cleveland; 21 January 1798 – 8 November 1884) was a British woman best known for her association with the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Jane was raised in England and India, before marrying a naval officer and settling in London. She soon left him for another military officer, Edward Ellerker Williams. After Edward and she left England for Italy, they became acquainted with Percy and Mary Shelley. Though she never had a romantic relationship with Shelley, near the end of his life he became deeply infatuated with her and addressed several of his poems to her. After Shelley and Edward Williams perished in a boating accident, she lived with Thomas Jefferson Hogg, also a close friend of Shelley, and had two children with him. The rest of her life was spent as a housewife in London.
Jane was born in Marylebone into a wealthy family who owned an extensive library. Her mother gave birth to her when she was close to forty years old. Her father, who had spent much of his life working in India, died shortly after her birth. Her mother soon gambled away much of the family fortune. She was the family's fifth child.
As a girl, she learned to sing and to play the harp, the guitar, and the piano. By her mid teens, Jane possessed an annual annuity of only £30. Jane spent much of her early life around military officers. Her brother, John Wheeler Cleveland, was an officer in the British Army who eventually reached the rank of general. He was deployed to India as a young man. Jane spent part of her childhood in India. While in India, she learned Hindustani and remained proficient in the language throughout her life. She often incorporated Indian harmonies into her music.
After returning to London, she fell in love with John Edward Johnson, who was the captain of an East Indiaman. This was a potentially lucrative career, and they were married at St Pancras Old Church in 1814. Though she could have travelled with him, Jane remained at home. They soon separated, most likely due to abuse by John. Jane later said that she suffered "irreparable injuries" while married to him.
After John Johnson left on a voyage in May 1817 Jane decided to leave him for Edward Ellerker Williams, to whom she may have been introduced by John. Williams was an Eton College graduate who had served in the Navy before becoming a lieutenant in the 8th Dragoons. Edwards had inherited enough money from his father, a military historian and descendant of Oliver Cromwell, to allow them to live comfortably. Although they never legally married, she became his common-law wife and began referring to herself as Mrs. Jane Williams. Their relationship initially drew disapprobation from their families, with Jane's brother and Edward's stepmother reproaching them for their decisions. Jane's brother later apologised, and declared Johnson a "vile fellow". Edward's stepmother, however, always resented Jane. Though long distance mail moved very slowly then, Jane and her husband exchanged angry letters shortly after she left him for Edward. When John returned to London in late 1818, he made no attempt to force Jane to return to him, although it was his legal right to do so.
Jane and Edward decided to leave London in 1819 after listening to Edward's friend Thomas Medwin discuss his travels of Europe. They travelled to Geneva in September 1819 and stayed in a house that Medwin had found for them. By the time they arrived, Jane was four months pregnant. In February 1820, she gave birth to their first child, Edward Medwin Williams. That summer, Jane became pregnant again. Medwin left Geneva in September 1820 to visit his cousin, Percy Shelley, in Pisa. Jane and Edward then travelled to France for several months, before joining Medwin and the Shelleys in Pisa in January 1821.
Jane and Edward enjoyed living in Italy and immediately got along well with Percy and Mary Shelley. Medwin soon left them to travel to Rome. Their second child, Jane Rosalind, was born in March 1821. While they lived in Pisa the Shelleys and the Williamses often dined and went for walks together. Edward and Percy Shelley soon became close friends and often went boating, though this practice made their wives nervous. Percy Shelley often read his poetry to Edward, who was very impressed by its quality. Shelley also encouraged Edward to begin writing a play himself.
That summer, both couples moved into nearby summer homes. In November, they returned to Pisa and met Lord Byron, who had recently arrived there himself. The two couples later shared a house in a remote location near Lerici, where they were visited in early 1822 by Edward John Trelawny. Though they enjoyed each other's company, the house was small and the arrangements led to numerous conflicts between the servants of each family.
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