Caroline (Elizabeth Sarah) Norton

Writer and reformer, born in London, UK, the granddaughter of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. In 1827 she married a dissolute barrister, the Hon George Chapple Norton (1800–75), and had three sons. She took up writing to support the family, and published a successful book of verse, The Sorrows of Rosalie (1829). In 1836 she separated from her husband, who brought an action of adultery against Lord Melbourne (which was defeated), obtained custody of the children, and tried to obtain the profit from her books. Her protests led to improvements in the legal status of women in relation to infant custody (1839) and marriage and divorce (1857).

Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton (1808 - 1877), was a famous British society beauty and author of the early nineteenth century. Caroline was born on March 22, 1808 in London, England. George Chapple Norton, the brother of Lord Grantley, a union which proved unhappy due to Norton's mental and physical abuse of his wife.

During the early years of her marriage, despite her husband's misgivings, Caroline used her beauty, wit and family's Whig political connections to establish herself as a major society hostess.

In 1835, Caroline left her husband due to his violent temper. In revenge, he removed her children from her and accused her having an affair with her close friend, Lord Melbourne, the Whig Prime Minister at the time. Norton demanded £1400 from Melbourne, and when he was turned down he accused the Prime Minister of having an affair with his wife. Despite this turn of events, Norton continued to prevent Caroline from seeing her three sons and successfully blocked her from receiving a divorce.

Due to her dismal domestic situation, Caroline became passionately involved in the passage of laws promoting social justice, especially those granting rights to married and divorced women.

Unable to divorce her husband, Caroline engaged in a secret five year affair with prominent Conservative politician Sidney Herbert in the early 1840's which ended with his marriage to another in 1846. In March of 1877, Caroline married Sir W.

A friend of author George Meredith in her later years, she became the inspiration for the character of Diana Warwick in his novel Diana of the Crossways, which was published in 1885.

Her older sister, Helen Selina Sheridan, married the 4th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye. Through her, Caroline was the aunt of the 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, who served as the third Governor General of Canada and eighth Viceroy of India.

Her younger sister, Jane Georgiana Sheridan, married the 12th Duke of Somerset.

This article incorporates public domain text from: Cousin, John William (1910).