# Helena Beatson

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**Helena Beatson** (1762–1839), also known as **Lady Helena Oakeley**, was an amateur [pastellist](/source/Pastel) from [Scotland](/source/Scotland).

## Early life

Born in Kilrie, [Fife](/source/Fife), Beatson was the daughter of writer Robert Beatson[1] and niece of artist [Catherine Read](/source/Catherine_Read), who produced several portraits of her in addition to being her teacher.[2][3] A [child prodigy](/source/Child_prodigy), she submitted, anonymously, a set of "sketches by a child of eight years old" to the [Society of Artists](/source/Society_of_Artists_of_Great_Britain) in 1771; they were singled out for praise by [Horace Walpole](/source/Horace_Walpole). Two drawings of gypsies and dancers were exhibited at the [Royal Academy](/source/Royal_Academy) in 1774, in which year [Fanny Burney](/source/Fanny_Burney) visited her and her aunt and pronounced the child "a most astonishing genius, though never taught...a very wonderful girl".[4]

## Adult years

Beatson was quite well-travelled, visiting [Charleston, South Carolina](/source/Charleston,_South_Carolina) in 1772 — a trip which attracted notice in the local *Gazette* — and traveling with Read to India a few years later. In 1777, while there, she married [Sir Charles Oakeley, 1st Baronet](/source/Sir_Charles_Oakeley,_1st_Baronet), later [governor of Madras](/source/Governor_of_Madras). They had at least ten children together, including [Charles](/source/Sir_Charles_Oakeley,_2nd_Baronet), the eldest, who inherited his father's title, and [Frederick Oakeley](/source/Frederick_Oakeley), the youngest, who became a Catholic priest and author.[5] She taught Frederick writing, geography, French, and drawing, and traveled with him for his health.[6] She painted at least one watercolor portrait of three of her children, and their Indian carers, while in India.[7]

Her husband's tenure as governor of Madras ended in 1794, and they returned to England. He died in 1826, her eldest son died in 1829, and Lady Oakeley died in 1839, at the age of 76, at [Lichfield Palace](/source/Bishop's_Palace,_Lichfield).[4][6]

## Portraits

The [National Portrait Gallery](/source/National_Portrait_Gallery,_London) holds several portraits of Beatson as a child.[2] The [National Gallery of Ireland](/source/National_Gallery_of_Ireland) has a portrait sketch of Oakeley, made by [John Smart](/source/John_Smart).[8]

## References

1. (1730–1805), of Kilrie; different from [Robert Beatson](/source/Robert_Beatson) (1741–1818) of Vicarsgrange, his namesake

1. ["Helena (née Beatson), Lady Oakeley"](https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw122869/Helena-ne-Beatson-Lady-Oakeley?LinkID=mp54152&role=sit&rNo=0&_gl=1*1nwibid*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTkyNzQ0NjY2NS4xNzQ0MTI0NDQ1*_ga_3D53N72CHJ*MTc0NDEyNDQ0My4xLjEuMTc0NDEyNDQ1Ni4wLjAuMA..). *National Portrait Gallery*. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

1. ["Attributed to Katherine Read (Forfarshire 1723-1778 ) Portrait of Helena Beatson, half-length, seated in a landscape, holding a paint brush"](https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28182/lot/145/attributed-to-katherine-read-forfarshire-1723-1778-portrait-of-helena-beatson-half-length-seated-in-a-landscape-holding-a-paint-brush/). *Bonhams*. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

1. [Profile](http://www.pastellists.com/Articles/Beatson.pdf) at *Dictionary of Pastellists Before 1800*.

1. ["Frederick Oakeley"](https://hymnary.org/person/Oakeley_F). *Hymnary.org*. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

1. Galloway, Peter (1999). [*A Passionate Humility: Frederick Oakeley and the Oxford Movement*](https://books.google.com/books?id=IYLJvjgg3tUC&dq=Helena+Beatson+Oakeley&pg=PA312). Gracewing Publishing. pp. 1–11, 40. ISBN 978-0-85244-506-8.

1. ["Helena Oakeley (British, 1762-1839) The Portraits of Charles, Helena and Henrietta Oakeley in Madras, India"](https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29202/lot/111/helena-oakeley-british-1762-1839-the-portraits-of-charles-helena-and-henrietta-oakeley-in-madras-india/). *Bonhams*. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

1. Smart, John. ["Lady Helena Oakley (born Beatson, active 1777-1839)"](http://onlinecollection.nationalgallery.ie/objects/4666/lady-helena-oakley-born-beatson-active-17771839). *National Gallery of Ireland Online Collection*. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Helena Beatson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Beatson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Beatson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.