Identified as Mrs. Edward O'Brien in the Silvy daybooks at the National Portrait Gallery, and as Louisa S. O'Brien in the album in which the portrait was found, this is probably the Louisa S. O’Brien who appears on the 1861 census, a 46-year-old widow living with her son, Edward A. O’Brien, at Westfield Lodge, Portsmouth Road, Kingston-on-Thames. She gave her profession as “Fundholder” and her place of birth as Marylebone. She reappears on the 1871 census visiting a friend, Elizabeth Brooke, at 4, Royal Crescent, Bath.

All the portraits on this and the preceding page are from the album of Gertrude Frances Vesey of Long Ditton [Surrey]. Born the daughter of George and Harriet Vesey in 1842 (christened at Long Ditton on 4 July 1842), she was 18 years old when she began to compile the album. She lived at home with her parents for many years, until on 23 November 1876, at the age of 34, she became the second wife of the 58-year-old Reverend John William Hawtrey (1818-1891). She appears on the 1881 census living at St. Michael’s School, Langley Marish [Bucks.], where her husband was the headmaster “without the cure of souls”. The couple had a three-year-old daughter called Gabrielle and a nine-month-old son called Guy.