Biography of Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban 1592-1650

On 28th April 1583 [her father] Benedict Barnham (age 24) and [her mother] Dorothy Smith were married at St Clements Church. They had seven girls and one boy. Three girls and a boy died in infancy.

In 1592 Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban was born to Benedict Barnham (age 33) and Dorothy Smith.

In 1598 [her father] Benedict Barnham (age 39) died. He left an estate of £20,000 of whom the chief beneficiaries were his wife [her mother] Dorothy Smith and her daughters [her sister] Elizabeth Barnham Countess Castlehaven (age 6), Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban (age 6).

In November 1598 [her step-father] John "Lusty" Pakington (age 49) and [her mother] Dorothy Smith were married. They had two daughters and a son.

On 10th May 1606 Francis Bacon 1st Viscount St Alban (age 45) and Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban (age 14) were married. The difference in their ages was 30 years.

In 1618 [her husband] Francis Bacon 1st Viscount St Alban (age 56) was created 1st Baron Verulam. Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban (age 26) by marriage Baroness Verulam.

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 2 310. [19th December 1618] Yt is growne altogether in fashion to burie now by night, as on Sonday last the Lady Haddington¹ had a solemne convoy of almost an hundred coaches (and torches in aboundance), that accompanied her from Westminster to White-chappell on her way to New-hall in Essex where she is to be buried: in this troupe besides the countesses of Bedford (age 38), Excester (age 38), and Devonshire (age 50) was the Lady Verulam (age 26) with a world of other Ladies. The countesse of Salisburie (age 28) the Friday before made a great feast and a play, though her husband (age 27) were absent at court, and the rest of her house and frends in sorow about a lewde libell, that (excepting the highest) runs over all the court and countrie almost that followes not theyre faction, and though the author cannot be found out, yet notice is taken that the Lady of Wallingford (age 35) was one of the first that sunge yt, and the King thinckes of her yt may be required. I heare of another crosse libell that shold pay her and all hers in the same coine, but for my part I protest I have neither seene nor seeke after any of them, but only heare the generall buzze abrode.

Note 1. Cf. Letters 309.

On 27th January 1626 [her husband] Francis Bacon 1st Viscount St Alban (age 65) was created 1st Viscount St Alban. Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban (age 34) by marriage Viscountess St Alban.

On 9th April 1626 [her husband] Francis Bacon 1st Viscount St Alban (age 65) died of pneumonia. He was buried at St Paul's Walden Bury, Hertfordshire. Viscount St Alban and Baron Verulam extinct.

Around 1639 [her mother] Dorothy Smith died.

On 29th June 1650 Alice Barnham Viscountess St Alban (age 58) died.