Maria Kinnaird.

About Maria Kinnaird

Maria Kinnaird (1810–1891), born on St. Vincent, was orphaned when La Soufrière erupted in 1812 and was later adopted by the politician Richard Sharp, known as "Conversation Sharp". Sharp was once considered possibly to be the most popular man in London of his time. Through her adoptive father, she inherited not only a considerable fortune but a wide network of influential friends and contacts, particularly among Whig circles. She became a prominent socialite and leading hostess in London during the mid-Victorian period and was described as being an accomplished, attractive, and intelligent woman. In 1835, she married Thomas Drummond, who developed the use of Drummond Light in surveying. She would be her husband's mainstay during his final years as Under-Secretary for Ireland (1835–1840).