Lady Margaret Beaumont (née Willes; 1756-1829): Daughter of Sir John Willes (c. 1721–1784), a landowner in Northamptonshire and MP. Her family had literary and artistic interests and she met Sir George Beaumont at a play reading at her home, Astrop Hall, in Northamptonshire. They were married on 6 May 1778. In 1782 a Grand Tour of Europe increased their keen interest in art – both Margaret and her husband sketched and they also painted in oils. In 1785 Lady Beaumont inherited the lease of 34 Grosvenor Square in London, which became the couple’s London home – a picture gallery was added in 1792 to accommodate their growing art collection. Lady Beaumont usually joined Sir George on his sketching tours of Europe, England and Wales. She was also interested in literature, philosophy, religion and mathematics and widely-read in Greek, Latin and French. The Beaumonts came to know Wordsworth and his family particularly well during their visits to the Lake District. They were also on very friendly terms with Southey, who wrote Lady Beaumont a number of letters of condolence after Sir George’s death.