Anna Larpent
Anna Larpent born Anna Porter was a British diarist. She was the de facto assistant Examiner of Plays and her diaries document Georgian life.Life
Larpent was born in Pera in Turkey 1758 where her father, James Porter was a British diplomat.
When she was eighteen Larpent published a 32 page account of the bigamy trial of Elizabeth Pierrepont, Duchess of Kingston-upon-Hull at Westminster Hall that gathered 4,000 spectators. The manuscript that was written by a women for other women to read has been re-published as a historic source.
On 25 April 1782 she married a widower who she hoped would care for her and younger sister Clara who she had adopted. Her husband, John Larpent, was the Inspector of Plays serving as the single approver of plays that were to be performed in Britain. Anna was the de facto assistant to him. When the plays were written in French or Italian then she had the skills to be able comprehend them. Larpent was interested in her work and she was a fan of Elizabeth Inchbald.
Her son became Sir George Gerard de Hochepied Larpent, 1st Baronet inheriting the Hochepied claim from his maternal grandfather.
Larpent died in London in 1832.
