sketcher, writer and landowner, was the daughter of William Balcombe, civil servant, and Jane, née Cranston, and the sister of Thomas Tyrwhitt Balcombe . As a young girl she lived on St Helena and became friendly with the exiled Emperor Napoleon. Betsy Balcombe married Edward Abell in London on 28 May 1821 but was deserted soon afterwards. One child was born of the marriage. Betsy accompanied her family to New South Wales for a brief visit in 1824 then in 1830 returned with her brother William. Together they took up a land grant adjoining their father’s former property near Bungonia. An unsigned and undated sketch, Molonglow [sic] – N.S. Wales , has been attributed to her. It shows the original homestead on the Molonglo River built in the 1830s. Later she returned to London and wrote a book, Recollections of Emperor Napoleon , published in 1844. After further adventures in France and Algeria, she died in London on 29 June 1871 aged 69.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2011
