Column – Amelia Opie

Research Project – John Opie Portraits

Since the publication of my biography Amelia Opie: The Quaker Celebrity I have, almost by default, become involved in a new Opie project. I am working on tracing portraits of people from Norfolk, her home county, which her husband, the Royal Academician John Opie, was commissioned to paint, thanks to his marriage to the gregarious […]

Amelia Opie and the National Trust

While doing research for my biography of Amelia Opie (1769-1853), the second wife of John Opie RA, I was intrigued to discover her associations with properties and gardens now owned by the National Trust. Amelia had Hobart ancestors whom she could trace back to Sir Henry Hobart (c.1554-1625), Chief Justice of the Court of Common […]

Campaign to raise funds for Norwich Castle Museum

A campaign has been launched to raise funds to acquire for Norwich Castle Museum an exceptional portrait of Amelia Opie, which was painted by her husband the Royal Academician John Opie. The museum already owns several Opie portraits, most notably that of John Crome, one of the founders of the Norwich School of Artists. When […]

Martineau Society Conference

I was invited to give the opening address at this year’s Martineau Society Conference (23-26 July, 2015), which took place in Norwich, the birthplace of both Harriet Martineau and Amelia Opie. My subject was ‘Amelia Opie and the Martineaus’. The Society was founded in Norwich in 1993 and has grown steadily since then, attracting member […]

Bust of Amelia Opie by David d’Angers

One of the most pleasing events during years of research for my biography Amelia Opie The Quaker Celebrity was when Norwich Castle Museum acquired the beautiful white marble bust of Amelia by the French sculptor David d’Angers in November 2008. It was purchased with generous grants from the Victoria & Albert Museum/MLA Purchase Fund, the […]

Reviews from Amelia’s home city

On 27th December 2014, very soon after the book’s launch, Christopher Smith in the Eastern Daily Press wrote a very positive review which included these highlights… “a detailed and meticulously researched biography of a woman whose story is well worth telling” “beautifully illustrated with full colour portraits and smaller in-page sketches by Amelia herself that […]

Launch Event

The Launch of the definitive biography “Amelia Opie” by Ann Farrant took place at The Octagon Chapel, Norwich, England on Thursday 4th December 2014. Amelia was baptised at the Octagon on 6th December, 1769.