Emilia Tennyson (1811–1887), known simply as Emily within her family, was a younger sister of

Alfred, Lord Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of ...

, and the fiancée of

Arthur Henry Hallam Arthur Henry Hallam (1 February 1811 – 15 September 1833) was an English poet, best known as the subject of a major work, '' In Memoriam'', by his close friend and fellow poet Alfred Tennyson. Hallam has been described as the ''jeune homme fa ...

, for whom Tennyson's poem '' In Memoriam A.H.H.'' was written. Emilia met Hallam through her brother, and they became engaged in 1832.Christopher Ricks, "Tennyson, Alfred, first Baron Tennyson (1809–1892)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 200

Retrieved 19 December 2005.

Loss and marriage

However, the couple were never to marry, as Hallam died suddenly while travelling abroad in 1833. There was much concern for Emily's well-being on the death of Arthur. She later married Richard Jesse, then a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...

in the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

, who later rose at least to the rank of captain. Their marriage came as a considerable shock to Jane Elton, Arthur's cousin. Jesse probably died two years after his wife, in 1889. Their eldest son was given the forenames Arthur Henry Hallam. Another son, the Reverend Eustace Tennyson D'Eyncourt Jesse, was the father of the writer F. Tennyson Jesse.

Cultural reference

Emilia Tennyson appears as a character in the story "Conjugial '' ic' Angel" by A. S. Byatt in the book ''Angels and Insects''.A. S. Byatt, ''Angels and Insects'' (London: Chatto, 1992). Retrieved British Library 15 May 2019.

References

1811 births 1887 deaths People from Lincolnshire Emilia {{England-bio-stub