Philippa Swinnerton Hughes

Philippa SWINNERTON, née PEARSALL: b. 6 Feb 1824, Willsbridge, Gloucs. - d. 7 Feb 1917 in Oldland, Glouc.

c.f. very various sources plus family archives:

Philippa Swinnerton Pearsall

http://records.ancestry.com/philippa_swinnerton_pearsall_records.as...

"Born in Willsbridge, Gloucestershire, England on 6 Feb 1824 to Robert Lucas De Pearsall and Harriet Eliza Hobday. Philippa Swinnerton married John Hughes. She passed away on 7 Feb 1917 in Oldland, Gloucestershire, England."

One of her hobbies was painting and she is actually noted as the artist of the "replica" portrait depicting her father Robert Lucas PEARSALL.

National Portrait Gallery - Portrait - NPG 1785; Robert Lucas Pearsall

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw04910/Robert-Lu...

Robert Lucas Pearsall replica by Philippa Swinnerton Hughes (née Pearsall) oil on canvas, (1849) 20 7/8 in. x 16 3/4 in. (530 mm x 425 mm) oval Given by William Barclay Squire, 1917 Primary Collection NPG 1785

While the following source even mentions "several portraits" of her father and emphasises her later artistry as a designer of bookplates and heraldic emblems:

JSTOR: The Musical Times, Vol. 58, No. 889 (Mar. 1, 1917), pp. 117-119

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/908183?uid=3737864&uid=2129&u...

"Mrs. Swinnerton HUGHES, (died) on February 7, at the age of ninety-two. She was the youngest daughter of R.L. de PEARSALL, the well-known madrigalcomposer who died in 1856. Mrs. HUGHES was in many ways a remarkable woman; a learned antiquary and genealogist, an artist (she painted several portraits of her father), and a very clever illuminator and designer of book-plates. It was through her that many of her father's posthumous works were published, and she wrote the English words to some of his settings of German part-songs."

A whole very involving discussion revolving about one of her bookplates may be seen here: Original art work for a Book Plate of the Great Granddaughter White Star Steamboats | Collectors Weekly

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/32511-original-art-work-for...

cf. also e.g. ... (N.B. with spelling of middle name as "Swynnerton" ...)

p.288-9. Ladies Book-Plates: An Illustrated Handbook for Collectors and Book-Lovers http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Ladies_Book-Plates_1000...

and ...

Miscellanea genealogica et heraldica, Volume 2, Page 172 | Document Viewer

http://www.mocavo.com/Miscellanea-Genealogica-Et-Heraldica-Volume-2...

Indeed she shared her father's enthusiasm for heraldry and genealogy and they worked together on this publication:

The Position of the Baronets of the British Empire, and of the Other ... - Philippa Swinnerton HUGHES, TRAVELLER., afterwards DE PEARSALL PEARSALL (Robert Lucas) - Google Books http://books.google.de/books/about/The_Position_of_the_Baronets_of_...

N.B. After her father's death it was his daughter Philippa who was instrumental in ensuring that both his own accomplishments and reputation but also his ascendance should be ascertained for posterity.

...

Just as she shared his passion for music, collaborating with him on the following:

Es ist ein halbes Himmelreich, V (4), E-Dur - BSB Mus.ms. 4344 : [cover title:] Es ist ein habes [!] Himmelreich [added by Schafhäutl: "(Handschrift von Pearsall fehlt) // Schftl"] // Lied von Hölty vierstimmig gesetzt [added with pencil: "in der Art eines englischen // Glees von" and with blue chalk: "L.[!] L. Pearsall"] [at the top at right:] Philippa Swinnerton de Pearsall. (Musikpartitur, 1835) [WorldCat.org] http://www.worldcat.org/title/es-ist-ein-halbes-himmelreich-v-4-e-d...

She, herself, much enjoyed singing and ... poetry ...

During the period where the Pearsall family lived at Schloss Wartensee on Lake Constance (circa 1843 - 1856), the young Philippa became befriended with the rather older Annette von Dröste-Hulshoff ( Anna Elisabeth Franziska Adolphine Wilhelmine Louise Maria, Freiin von Droste zu Hülshoff, born: January 10 or 12, 1797, Burg Hülshoff, Havixbeck – died, May 24, 1848, Meersburg), " a 19th-century German writer and composer ... one of the most important German poets and author of the novella Die Judenbuche.")

There are many sources of references to this relationship plus related pieces of correspondence and even a poignant poem by Droste-Hülshoff to Philippa Pearsall.

cf. e.g.

Briefe von Annette von Droste-Hülshoff und Levin Schücking von Annette von Droste-Hülshoff - Text im Projekt Gutenberg

http://gutenberg.spiegel.de/buch/briefe-von-annette-von-droste-h-28...

In which the budding friendship and Philippa is described by Annette in a letter from her in Meersburg to Louise SCHUCKING, dated 29 Feb 1844:

"Ich habe zwei neue Bekanntschaften gemacht, die mir zusagen; nur liegt leider ein Stückchen Weges zwischen uns, was mich doch für die meiste Zeit auf meine gewohnte Einsamkeit beschränkt. Die eine, Fürstin Salm, anderthalb Stunde von hier, kömmt jeden Sonntag, ist eine sehr gute und durchaus fein gebildete Frau von etwa sechsunddreißig Jahren – eine geborne Hohenlohe –, malt sehr hübsch, liest viel, ist passionirt für Musik und möchte mich, da sie furchtsam im Fahren ist, viel lieber auf einige Zeit herüber verlocken, als jeden Sonntag unter Stöhnen und Zittern den Berg hinan fahren; ich habe aber keine Zeit und weiß wohl, was es mit den schönen Redensarten von »ganz ungenirt, ganz für sich, soviel man will, sein« auf sich hat, – man kömmt doch zu nichts; sonst habe ich sie sehr gern und freue mich schon am Samstag auf ihren Besuch. Noch lieber ist mir die andre, Miß Philippa Pearsall, Tochter eines englischen Baronets, der sich im Canton St. Gallen angekauft hat, ein höchst geniales, liebenswürdiges Mädchen von zwanzig Jahren, in der eine tüchtige Malerin und Gesangcomponistin steckt. Sie entwirft ganz reizende Skizzen, sowohl im Genre als nach der heiligen Geschichte, ist von ihrem Vater, einem originellen Musikenthousiasten, in alle Geheimnisse des Contrapunkts eingeweiht und singt ihre einfachen aber rührenden Kompositionen mit einer wunderbar tiefen, erschütternden Stimme. Hübsch ist sie nicht, aber sehr angenehm, bescheiden und geistreich, und so frisch in allen ihren Gefühlen, daß es Einem wohlthut, nur ihr Gesicht zu sehn, wenn sie etwas interessirt. Die Gelegenheit wird bestimmen, ob sie noch mal einen bedeutenden Ruf erlangen oder ihre Talente halb ausgebildet fürs Haus verbrauchen wird. Es wär jammerschade, wenns beim Letzten bleiben müßte! Vater und Tochter waren auf vierzehn Tage hier, und es wird wohl lange anstehn, bis sie wiederkommen, – vielleicht gar nicht vor unsrer Abreise, obwohl Philippa Himmel und Hölle in Bewegung setzen will; denn sie scheint mir eben so attachirt, als ich es ihr in der kurzen Zeit wirklich geworden bin. Warum haben die Leute nur nicht das neue Schloß gekauft, wie sie anfangs Willens waren! Aber Sir Pearsall wollte ein Landgut, und so wohnen sie jetzt in einer alten bethurmten Ritterburg – Wartensee –, sehr romantisch, wie ich höre, aber ohne alle Mittel zu Philippas Talentausbildung, d. h. im Malen; denn was Musik betrifft, besitzt der Papa die Kenntnisse von einem und den Eifer von sechs Lehrern; aber sie hört nie ein Orchester, das ist doch schlimm!"

A website particularly to be recommended is:

www.nach100jahren.de/

specifically:

Annette von Droste-Hülshoff in Briefen - Briefe An Philippa Pearsall

http://www.nach100jahren.de/?cat=52

... showing an exchange of correspondence followed by some background details:

"Hintergrund: Die Pearsalls - Vater Robert und Tochter Philippa - hat Annette von Droste im Februar 1844 kennengelernt. Sie leben auf Schloss Wartensee, auf der Schweizer Seite des Bodensees, nachdem sich der ursprünglich geplante Kauf des Neuen Schlosses in Meersburg zerschlagen hat. Die Pearsalls und das Ehepaar Laßberg haben sich angefreundet und besuchen sich gegenseitig mehrfach. Zwischen Annette und der 27 Jahre jüngeren Philippa entwickelt sich eine enge Beziehung, die auch auf dem gemeinsamen Interesse für Literatur gründet. So liest die Droste ihrer Freundin aus ihren Werken vor und gibt ihr einen Teil des Manuskripts von Bei uns zulande zum Lesen mit nach Wartensee."

Another rich source of references is the book by Mary LAVATER-SLOMAN: Annette von Droste- Hülshoff. Einsamkeit und Leidenschaft. Broschiert – Juli 1995

Extracts relating to encounters with Philippa Pearsall (translated from German to English by pip ...): ...

Page 427:

"Annette sees the glimmer of a friendly relationship in her acquaintance with the still-childishly young Philippa Pearsall, a highly-talented English girl, whose father, Sir Robert Lucas Pearsall, has purchased Schloss Wartensee on the Swiss side (of Lake Constance) just opposite. Philippa comes to Meersburg every now and then, driven by an impassioned admiration for Annette, much in the same way as happened to many important people who found themselves immediately and completely taken by the superior spirit of this poetess. Annette describes this young lady as being: “full of talent, intelligence and life; her budding original force made such a refreshing impression on me … a being whom one observes with joy, and yet it is impossible even tentatively to isolate any particular point of contact … she swept over me like the heroine of a novel, who only lives as long as one reads and then disappears into the blue.” Philippa and her father plan to move away from this region again. For Annette, suffering a sad lack of understanding from those around her, this is painful. She could talk with Philippa, give this child some advice or when they were together in Annette’s little Fürstenhäusle/Prince’s lodge they would play four-handed on the piano or simply sit side-by-side on the steps of the little garden-room and the waning life and the waxing life would touch in these moments and mingle in a harmonious understanding. Philippa looked at Annette’s countenance. It had become so wonderful with the years. While losing its youthfulness it had gained, in its finely-cut austerity, almost the shrewd mature features of a man. And Annette surveyed the delicate white face with its freckles, the reddish-blonde curls of hair, the shiningly blue eyes and the always-ready smile … yes, that was youth, and as for herself?"

…

"Annette had been hoping to stay in Meersburg until the middle of autumn at least and had been looking forward to receiving Philippa as a frequent guest. She wanted to treat her to a taste of the grapes from her own vines and to enjoy a pleasant, intimate artist’s life with her up there in the beloved house and grounds which belonged to her. But now Annette’s mother suddenly wanted to return to Rüschhaus. August von Haxthausen has arrived to play the role of her travel organiser and so there’s a flurry of packing to be done and goodbyes to be said all over the place. Annette can only just manage to send a quick letter to Philippa on the other side of the lake. On 25th. August 1844 she writes to her:

My dear Philippa,

You cannot imagine how grieved I am that I cannot come to see you again! My dear Mama has tricked us all. For all of us, indeed, thought that our return journey would be delayed until late autumn and we did not mention it on purpose so as to, all the more, ensure it to be left just so. But now suddenly we’ve received our marching orders: pack up and go! It really pains me to the heart because of you in particular, my Philippa, as I still fear that you will be leaving Wartensee and that next year I shall only find empty walls remaining. Will you always spare a thought for me, Philippa? I know that I shall never forget you. Your love is a fresh, benevolent ray of light in my waxing life. Keep yours as true to me as I shall keep mine for you. If only there were not so very many acquaintances who have arranged visits to say goodbye in these last few days I should have made a flying visit to you. Now, however, I cannot absent myself at all and must try to content myself simply by seeing if I can spot Wartensee from my little vineyard cottage. I have never believed this to be possible but as you have managed to locate my tiny rooftop from over there, in return I surely shouldn’t miss finding your big tower from over here. Dear heart, I am so terribly sorrowful of spirit as I write this to you. Leaving you will be really, really hard. What joy your letters have brought to me! What success you have in everything you do, drawings, poems, compositions! Oh, you do not realise, yourself, what a basis for future happiness you have through the talents you possess, and how much pleasure they will bring to your later years. You are so richly gifted! Music, painting, poetry – for all three you are almost equally and greatly talented. I beg you, please, not to neglect a single one of them. Music is for a merry mood and can make sadness even sadder. Then poetry takes its place and knows how to offer cheer and consolation. Painting is exhilarating, or at least distracting, in every situation and state of mind. Don’t be angry with me, dear Philippa, if I fall into a somewhat dogmatic tone. I am so fond of you that I should only like to help you along on the road to happiness as much as I am able. It is already around midnight. I couldn’t write to you during the day. Goodnight, Philippa, goodnight, my dear child. And for a good night just a few more lines that came to me early this morning: (N.B. Here follows the poem to Philippa)"

…

"Letter from Philippa Pearsall to Annette von Droste-Hülshoff – Wartensee, August 1844

Life at Wartensee, as you may well imagine, is such spiritual starvation that one is forced to combat this by resorting to the most urgent measures, one is pushed into feeding upon one’s own flesh and blood. That is why I am so grateful when someone else brings a contribution to our store-cupboard and spices it with a little variety.

Letter from Philippa Pearsall to Annette von Droste-Hülshoff – Wartensee, 14th. Sept. 1844

How can I thank you for so much love and goodness, no, really, I can find no words. But believe me, I shall never forget you and I cherish the hope of seeing you again one day …

Meanwhile we will write to each other and relate what we are doing and about to do. When I sketch something that pleases me at least a little, then I shall set it aside and think – it is for dear Fräulein von Droste, for when she returns. Yet everything I do is so full of faults – I am greatly pained by the fact that I cannot seem to accomplish a better standard and it follows that I shall have nothing worthwhile to give to you. With you, on the other hand, it is quite the opposite. How beautiful and poignant everything is, indeed, that comes from your quill – so direct and profound that it finds the straightest way to the heart. What you have written to me shall be treasured for ever … but the concept of receiving a portrait of you and something cut out by your own hand makes me completely joyous. I shall always keep that picture hanging in my workplace and convince myself that you are really present there and close to me. Who knows whether self-persuasion could one day become reality?

My heartfelt thanks for your advice given to me so lovingly and I will always follow it as far as I am able. To my mind, the only means of securing a satisfying existence is to set oneself some sort of meaning and goal in life, such as a particular field of interest, whether science or art, and to pursue this thoroughly – to dive right into it and fathom its depths ,in short, to devote oneself to it with heart and soul. One type of artistic pursuit brings all manner of other forms with it and so it opens up a limitless range of pleasures. The world then presents less cause for worry because we then no longer feel dependant on others, we do not need to reckon on other people any more in order to create our own sense of happiness and to pass away the time in an agreeable manner.

We have also had visitors and, since my father’s return, I have not found a moment to write either. Now I fear that you will no longer be in Meersburg. Oh, it is really too sad that your dear good mother still suffers these attacks of irregular heartbeats. Please relay my best regards to her and tell her how deeply I am troubled that she must be so incapacitated but that I trust that when she returns to Meersburg next year she may be fully recovered. And now, dear friend, fare thee well, write to me, do, and stay as true to me as I shall certainly do to you.

Yours

Philippa de Pearsall"

...

"LETTER FROM JENNY VON LAßBURG (Annette’s sister) – Meersburg, May 1845

… "A fortnight ago I received a letter from Philippa in Augsburg. She is very happy working all day with her artist in his atelier, living in a pretty little cottage with a garden that she’s planning to re-landscape, and hoping, finally, to fulfil in this way her long-held desire to become a proper painter." …

"LETTER FROM JENNY VON LAßBURG – Meersburg, Autumn 1846

… I beg you, dear Nette,

They were never to meet again, these friends so different in age. Sir Pearsall resettled in Italy a year later and Philippa married a Mister Swinnerton, who was eventually to take her back to England with him. Annette must have regretted this but her heart was so full of wounds already that, in all likelihood, she would have tried to avoid adding a new sorrow to the old ones. She expects nothing more from life."

…

And this is the poem to Philippa:

So muss ich in die Ferne rufen

Mein Lebewohl an diesem Tag?

Was uns die Stunden gütig schufen,

Zerinnt es wie der Wellenschlag?

Bleibt mir, für wenig kurze Stunden,

Nur noch der Trost, vom Felsgestein

Zu spähn, ob ich dein Dach gefunden,

Am grauen Türm, dein Fensterlein?

Ich kann und mag es nimmer denken,

Dies sei vielleicht zum letzten Mal.

Bleibst du, wenn meine Schritte lenken

Sich nieder in mein heimisch Tal?

Doch mögen Berg und fremde Fluren

Uns trennen, nord- und südenwärts,

Glaub’ mir, ich folge deinen Spuren

Und bringe dir ein treues Herz.

...

So must I call so far ... so far ...

My farewell to you on this day?

What wonders we enjoyed each hour

Should disappear as waves to spray?

Now to a few short hours confined,

Sole comfort mine from stone-cliffs tall

Straining my eyes your roof to find

Or in tower grey, your window small?

Never could I, would I accept

This was, perhaps, the last time then.

Are you to stay, while I steer step

My native vale to reach again?

Yet mountains, foreign plains shall fail

Both north- and southwards us to part,

Believe me, I will find your trail

And bring to you a faithful heart.

(translation by pip)

(pip - 1 Dec 2012 - for Philippa - for father ...)