Sarah Wilson
Encyclopedia
Sarah Wilson was an English
impostor
who took a role of nonexistent sister of Queen Charlotte
. How much of the tale is true is unclear.
Sarah Wilson was born in Staffordshire
and at the age of 16 moved to London
. According to the usual tale, within a week she became a maidservant to Caroline Vernon, lady-in-waiting
for the queen Charlotte, and was acquainted with the relations and rumors of the court.
Around 1771 Wilson was working in the "queen's house" (in the place where Buckingham Palace
is now). She began to steal the jewelry and clothing of the queen. She was apprehended and first condemned to death but eventually the sentence was commuted to penal transportation
to American colonies. On July 1771 Wilson arrived to Baltimore, Maryland and was sold to W. Devall as an indenture
d servant. A few days later she escaped.
According to the tale, Wilson still had some of the queen's stuff belongings with her. With the queen's dress, she took a role of "Susanna Caroline Matilda", fictitious sister of Queen Charlotte. She claimed that she had had a disagreement with her family and due to the scandal had moved to America. She fooled a number of Virginia
n landowners with her courtly habits and knowledge of royal affairs. When some local colonials accepted her as genuine, others begun to question why no one had ever heard of the queen's sister. The Queen was originally from Germany and this princess spoke only English.
Eventually Devall heard about a woman who looked very much like the girl who had escaped. In 1771 he spread a notice that princess Charlotte was his slave and sent her hireling Michael Dalton to get her back. Dalton found her near Charlestown and dragged her back to Bush Creek.
For two years Wilson worked for Devall, until he joined the rebels in the beginning of the American War of Independence. Wilson fled and later married dragoon
officer William Talbot. After the war they stayed in the newly formed USA.
There is no record of when Sarah Wilson died.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
impostor
Impostor
An impostor or imposter is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often to try to gain financial or social advantages through social engineering, but just as often for purposes of espionage or law enforcement....
who took a role of nonexistent sister of Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
. How much of the tale is true is unclear.
Sarah Wilson was born in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and at the age of 16 moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. According to the usual tale, within a week she became a maidservant to Caroline Vernon, lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
for the queen Charlotte, and was acquainted with the relations and rumors of the court.
Around 1771 Wilson was working in the "queen's house" (in the place where Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
is now). She began to steal the jewelry and clothing of the queen. She was apprehended and first condemned to death but eventually the sentence was commuted to penal transportation
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
to American colonies. On July 1771 Wilson arrived to Baltimore, Maryland and was sold to W. Devall as an indenture
Indenture
An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...
d servant. A few days later she escaped.
According to the tale, Wilson still had some of the queen's stuff belongings with her. With the queen's dress, she took a role of "Susanna Caroline Matilda", fictitious sister of Queen Charlotte. She claimed that she had had a disagreement with her family and due to the scandal had moved to America. She fooled a number of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
n landowners with her courtly habits and knowledge of royal affairs. When some local colonials accepted her as genuine, others begun to question why no one had ever heard of the queen's sister. The Queen was originally from Germany and this princess spoke only English.
Eventually Devall heard about a woman who looked very much like the girl who had escaped. In 1771 he spread a notice that princess Charlotte was his slave and sent her hireling Michael Dalton to get her back. Dalton found her near Charlestown and dragged her back to Bush Creek.
For two years Wilson worked for Devall, until he joined the rebels in the beginning of the American War of Independence. Wilson fled and later married dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
officer William Talbot. After the war they stayed in the newly formed USA.
There is no record of when Sarah Wilson died.