Called The Hon. Harriet Molesworth, The Hon. Mrs John Staples (1745-1812) but most probably Harriett...

Francis Cotes, RA (London 1726 – London 1770). Oil painting on canvas, Called The Hon. Harriet Molesworth, The Hon. Mrs John Staples (1745-1812) but most probably Harriett Conolly, Mrs John Staples (d.1771) by Francis Cotes, RA (London 1726 – London 1770), centre left (re-inscribed?): F. Cotes pxt. 1754 (FC in monogram)/ 1764. A half-length portrait of a young woman, seated, turned slightly to the right, head inclined and glancing to the left, hands crossed in front, wearing crimson dress decorated with lace; green-covered chair and green background, a green and yellow work-bag on table. The purported sitter, the Hon. Harriet Molesworth was the fourth daughter of Richard, 3rd Viscount Molesworth but the first by his second wife Mary Ussher, and the second wife of John Staples, MP, of Lissan. Their daughter Charlotte married William Lenox-Conyngham of Springhill. When their house in Brook Street, London caught fire, and her mother, her uncle, and two of her sisters were burnt to death, she jumped to safety, but in doing so broke her leg, which had to be amputated (6th May 1763). The more likely sitter, Harriett Conolly (d.1771) was the third daughter of the Rt Hon. William Conolly of Castletown and Stratton Hall, Staffs.(nephew and heir of Speaker William Conolly of Castletown), MP for Ballyshannon (1727-1753) and Lady Anne Wentworth. She was married in 1764 to the Rt Hon. John Staples and produced two daughters: Louisa, later Lady Pakenham, and Henrietta, or Harriett, later Countess of Clancarty; and a son, William Conolly Staples (d.1798), who married Anne (d.1867), daughter of Sir James Stewart, 7th Bt, of Castle Stewart, but died without issue. Springhill, County Londonderry (Accredited Museum)