Helen Edmonstone

Daughter of Demerara plantation owner Charles Edmonstone, granddaughter of an Arawak woman, Minda, and plantation owner William Reid. Inherited £5,000 from her father in his will in 1827. Moved to Walton Hall, Wakefield in 1830, home of her brother-in-law Charles Waterton, following the death of her sister Anne-Mary to care for her nephew, Edmund Waterton. Was mentioned along with her other sister Eliza by Charles Darwin following his visit to Walton Hall.

Owner of numerous properties in Yorkshire. Alongside sister Helen, played a key role in collecting, curating, and passing on Charles Waterton’s scientific papers. Later lived in Kensington before dying in Spa, Belgium in 1879.

Now marked with a blue plaque raised by the Forgotten Women of Wakefield.

[1] Born 1813 on father’s property in Demerara.

[2] Listed in 1851 census as a “Proprietress”, with properties co-owned with sister Eliza, including three cottages in Middle Walton, and the Manor of Newland-cum-Woodhouse Moor.

[3] The Essential role of Helen and her sister Eliza as executors as well as archivists and collectors of Charles Waterton’s papers is catalogued by Sarah Cobham of the Forgotten Women of Wakefield, identified through letters written by Norman Moore.

[4] Died in Spa, Belgium in 1879 with effects under £4,000.

John George Wood, 1882 Introduction to Wanderings in South America, p. 307. Will of Charles Edmonstone produced June 1827 with the inventory entered into records May 1828 Forgotten Women of Wakefield: https://forgottenwomenwake.com/ - Laura Reid, “The story of the sisters who protected Charles Waterton's natural history collection”, Yorkshire Post, 24th March 2023 - https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/the-story-of-the-sisters-who-protected-charles-watertons-natural-history-collection-4076806 Letter, Charles Darwin to Charles Lyell, 8th October, 1845, Darwin Correspondence Project - https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-919.xml

1. 1851 Census.

2. 1851 Census. Conveyance of three cottages and hereditaments situate at Middle Walton in the Parish of Sandal Magna in the County of York - West Yorkshire Archives - C1358/468. Township Deeds - Manor of Newland-cum-Woodhouse Moor - - West Yorkshire Archives - C959/11-66. London Metropolitan Archives. Sarah Cobham, “Petticoat Patrimony part five: ‘From the Body of Helen Reid’”, Yorkshire Bylines, 8th February, 2023 - https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/society/petticoat-patrimony-part-five-from-the-body-of-helen-reid/

3. Sarah Cobham, “Petticoat Patrimony: ‘Despite it All’”, Yorkshire Bylines, 8th March, 2023 - https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/region/petticoat-patrimony-despite-it-all/

4. The Tablet, Saturday 27th Sep, 1879. Sarah Cobham, “Petticoat Patrimony: ‘Despite it All’”, Yorkshire Bylines, 8th March, 2023 - https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/region/petticoat-patrimony-despite-it-all/

We are grateful the Forgotten Women of Wakefield team: Helga Fox, Sarah Cobham, Catherine Clarke, Zainab Jode, and Abibat Olulode, for assisting in the compiling of this entry.