Author: Cowley, Hannah
Biography:
COWLEY, Hannah, formerly Parkhouse (1742/3-1809: ODNB)
pseudonym Anna Matilda
Born on 14 Mar. 1742/3 in Tiverton, Devon, she was the daughter of Philip Parkhouse, a bookseller, and his wife Hannah (Richards) Parkhouse. She was baptised at St. Peter's, Tiverton, on 14 Mar. 1742. On 1 Jan. 1771 in Chester, Cheshire, she married Thomas Cowley and moved to London where he had a position in the Stamp Office and later--thanks to a recommendation from Lord Harrowby--an appointment as a captain with the East India Company. They had four children. Cowley dedicated her Fate of Sparta to her brother-in-law, John, with whom she and the children lived in Cateaton Street during Thomas's absences for work. Thomas died in 1797 in India where he visited their daughter Frances (1774-1822) who married David Brown there on 9 July 1796. Cowley had her greatest successes as a comic playwright in London from 1776 to 1794, and was best known for Who's the Dupe? (1779) and The Belle's Stratagem (1780); but she also wrote tragedies, historical dramas, and poetry. In 1801 she retired to Tiverton. Her Della Cruscan poetry was satirised by William Gifford (q.v.) in The Maeviad (1809). She died on 11 Mar. 1809 and was buried in Tiverton. Her will is signed H. Parkhouse and leaves her estate to her son, John, daughters Hannah (b 1775) and Mary (b 1772), and her sister Ruth Richards. It was proved on 20 Feb. 1809. (ODNB states that Mary predeceased her mother in 1789 but the will was signed by Hannah in 1805.) (RPW; ODNB 14 May 2018; ancestry.co.uk 26 July 2025) SR
Other Names:
- Mrs. Cowley
- Mrs. Hannah Cowley
- Mrs. [Hannah] Cowley