Learn the true story. Pls don't let the film bury the real Dido Belle

Enjoy the film, inspired by a true story, but pls keep the memory of the actual Dido Belle alive.

Dido was born in 1761 in the West Indies (not in the UK) to Maria Belle, a slave. Dido's father, Captain John Lindsay, took her with him when he returned to England in 1765 abandoning her mother. She never carried her father's name, but was baptised "Dido Elizabeth Bell" in 1766 at St George's Church, Bloomsbury.

(It should be noted that attitudes towards "natural" children were very different in America and the UK. In America children inherited their mother's status, in the UK, their fathers'. Fathers of illegitimate children in America thought nothing of fathering slave children and even selling them. Englishmen, thought of these children as extensions of themselves and ego would not permit them to leave them behind to uncertain fates. Many souvenir children came home to England, almost invariably without their mothers, from the far reaches of empire. Placements were found for them and they were educated and supported. However, the fact of their illegitimacy meant they could never actually come anywhere near matching their fathers' status in society.)

It is comically incorrect in the film when Elizabeth states that Dido's (fictional) 2,000 pounds per year means she could marry into any of the best families. Dido's illegitimacy would have absolutely precluded that.

Both Dido and her cousin Elizabeth came to live with the Murrays at Kenwood House in North London at about the same time. Dido in 1765 & Elizabeth in 1766 after her Polish mother died. Both were given allowances while living with their great aunt and uncle. Dido got 30 pounds sterling per year and Elizabeth received 100 pounds. Elizabeth, no pauper, was an heiress via her mother and also later inherited from her father and uncle.

There is no evidence that Dido was excluded from the dining room (except for the one time depicted in the film) whether visitors were present or not. The well-educated Dido worked closely with her uncle on all the important matters he dealt with. This was highly unusual because it was the custom for highly-trained male professionals to be assistants to important gentlemen.

It's unfortunate that two important cases that William Murray, Lord Mansfield, sat in judgement on, the Zong and Somersett affairs, were so badly combined in the film. They are worth reading about.

Elizabeth married well in 1785 at age 25 and had three children, living on until 1825, age 65.

Dido's father died in 1788, leaving a paltry 1000 pounds to be split between his 2 or 3 "natural" children. He had been knighted & also made an Admiral. (There is no evidence that he had any relationship with Dido after he left her with the Murrays).

The young women's great uncle, William Murray died in 1793. He left Elizabeth 10,000 pounds. Dido got a lump sum of 500 pounds and 100 pounds per year for life.

After 28 years at Kenwood House, 32-year-old Dido left to marry Frenchman John Daviniers, a gentleman's steward in London (the Daviniers character in the film was a total fiction). They were married in 1793 at St George's Bloomsbury, the delightful church where she'd been christened. Her three sons were also christened there, the twins, Charles & John in 1795 and William in 1802.

Dido was just 43 when she died in 1804. Daviniers remarried and had two more children with his second wife.The graveyard where Dido was buried was redeveloped in the 1970s, all remains cremated and the ashes interred at an unknown location.

Dido's last known descendant died childless in South Africa in 1975.

There are wiki pages on Dido Belle, Admiral John Lindsay, William Murray, Elizabeth Murray, Kenwood House, St George's Bloomsbury, the Zong Massacre, Somerset v. Stewart, Hampstead Heath, etc.

The English Heritage page for Kenwood House is
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/kenwood/

The Guardian's report on the restoration of Kenwood:
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/dec/13/kenwood-house-restoration-greatest-art-collection

Tragically, the film was not made at the real Kenwood House as it was under renovation 2012-2013. This is a real loss to the film as Kenwood is such a particular place. The house is open again now and I highly recommend a visit. Kenwood belongs to the public and is open almost every day of the year. There is something absolutely magically evocative about walking through the rooms and around the grounds. If you're looking for the real Dido, you'll find echos of her here.

Kenwood House has played a large part in my life. One of my children, William Edward, is named for it. William for Dido's great uncle, who built Kenwood, and Edward for Edward Guinness, the Earl of Iveagh, who saved Kenwood (in the nick of time!) for the nation. It's a riveting story.