Description: Sir Brooke BoothbyÆs only child Penelope was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds when she was three. Penelope later died, before her sixth birthday in 1791. Her parents separated at her burial, and her father spent the rest of his life travelling on the Continent.
In death she was immortalized by Thomas Banks, in St Oswalds' Church, Ashbourne. The white currara marble figure of the child is so lifelike that she still appears to be only sleeping. Her epitaph reads `She was in form and intellect exquisite, the unfortunate parents ventured their all on this frail bark, and the wreck was total`.
This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.