The Susan Burney Letters Project

The Burney Family

Who was Susan Burney?
Susan Burney (1755-1800) was the third daughter of the music historian Charles Burney, and the younger sister of the novelist and dramatist Frances Burney, to whom she was exceptionally close. She grew up in London, where she was able to observe at close quarters the musical life of the capital and to meet the many musicians and men of letters who visited the family home. She was the addressee of most of Frances's own letter-journals, as Frances was of hers.

In 1782 she married Captain Molesworth Phillips, a Royal Marines officer who had been with Captain Cook on his second and third journeys and played a part in the incident in the Sandwich Islands in 1779 in which Cook met his death; Susan's brother James was on the same expedition and was a close friend. After their marriage they lived in the country, from 1784 at Mickleham, Surrey, where their three children were born.

By 1787 the marriage had begun to deteriorate, and it had all but collapsed by the end of 1795, when Phillips left England to live at his estate at Belcotton, Co. Louth. Much against her will, and to her great unhappiness, Susan was obliged to join him there the following year. Here, lonely, virtually abandoned by her husband (who by this time was openly conducting an affair with his cousin), cut off from contact with her family and friends, and in poor health, she lived until almost the end of her life.

By 1799 members of her family realized the full gravity of Susan's situation, and were eventually successful in persuading Phillips to allow her to return to England. She died on the journey, on 6 January 1800.

To follow:
Chronology of Charles Burney
Chronology of Frances Burney
Chronology of Susan Burney
Burney family tree

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