Reputed descendant of Royalty buried at London Road Cemetery

A local Coventry story exists that Hannah Harrison Lowe was the illegitimate daughter of King George IV and Mrs Fitzherbert. In 2009 a monument was erected at London Road Cemetery by the descendants of Hannah and her husband Samuel Barnes to mark the grave site of their famous ancestor. The following two photographs were kindly supplied by Ibrahim Leadley, Hannah's Great-Great-Great Grandson

The inscrription on the gravestone reads: A Family Secret. Hannah Harrison Barnes (nee Lowe) b 1795 Knightsbridge London. d 1883 Coventry. Samuel Barnes 1796-1875 Their Daughter Sarah Dadley 1817 - 1896 Their Son Samuel Barnes 1826 - 1908. Note the crown on the monument! Thanks to the family for supplying these images.

At the time of writing Coventry archives are closed due to flooding, and have been for months. I was therefore unable to consult local records myself. My database searches revealed no birth or baptism records, but I did find the following:

Hannah's Decendants

• Sarah Barnes Bap. 29/09/1817 St Michaels Church, Coventry.
• Joseph Barnes Bap. 14/06/1819 St Michaels Church, Coventry.
• Ann Barnes Bap. 01/10/1821 St Michaels Church, Coventry.
• Hannah Barnes Bap. 24/03/1824 St Michaels Church, Coventry.
• Samuel Barnes Bap. 09/06/1826 St Michaels Church, Coventry.
• Mary Barnes Bap. 20/10/1828 St Michaels Church, Coventry.
• Thomas Barnes
• Jane Barnes
• Ann Barnes

Hannah's Death

I was able to identify the date of Hannah's death as 26/01/1883

Burial Records

Records of the family grave show: (in date order)

• Hannah's husband Samuel Barnes was buried 28/02/1875 aged 79 at London Road Cemetery. Square 83 Grave 92.
• Together with Hannah Harrison Barnes aged 87 buried 29/01/1883.
• Their Daughter Sarah Dadley buried 02/02/1896 aged 79.
• Their son Samuel Barnes buried 12/12/1908 aged 82.
• Emma Marson buried 05/06/1928 aged 83.

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