Charlotte Finch

Lady Charlotte Finch (née Fermor) was born on 14 February 1725 and died on 11 July 1813. She was a British royal governess who served the children of King George III and Queen Charlotte. Her tenure as governess lasted from August 1762 until 1793, during which she supervised the education and upbringing of fourteen of the king and queen's fifteen children.

Her parents were Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret, and Henrietta Louisa Jeffreys. The Fermor family was involved in courtly life, with her father serving as Master of the Horse to Queen Caroline, and her mother holding the position of Lady of the Bedchamber. The family was well-traveled across Europe, visiting prominent cultural sites on the continent. Charlotte and her sisters received an education that was considered advanced for the period, with particular interests in literature and theology. Contemporary diaries mention their education, and Horace Walpole noted Charlotte's fluency in Italian, praising her command of Tuscan.

On 9 August 1746, Charlotte married the Hon. William Finch, the heir to the earldom of Nottingham and Winchilsea. William Finch was a diplomat and politician who served as envoy to Sweden and the Netherlands, and later as a Member of Parliament for Cockermouth and Bewdley. He also held the position of vice-chamberlain of the royal household from 1742. The marriage produced one son, George Finch, who inherited his uncles' titles in 1769, and five daughters, one of whom died in 1765.

Finch's appointment as royal governess followed the birth of George, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King George III and Queen Charlotte, in August 1762. Her responsibilities included managing the royal nursery and its staff—including sub-governesses, tutors, personal attendants, and teachers—and organizing the educational curricula for the royal children. She oversaw the princes until they grew old enough to live in their own households, while the princesses remained under her supervision until they reached the age of 21.

Her personal circumstances became complicated in the mid-1760s. In 1765, her daughter died, and her husband William Finch, who was 34 years her senior, became increasingly unwell and reportedly mentally unstable. Finch obtained a formal separation from her husband and took their children to live with her at St James’s Palace and Kew. William Finch died in late 1766. Despite these personal difficulties, she continued her duties diligently, although she temporarily took leave in 1767 when her youngest daughter was seriously ill.

As an educator, Lady Charlotte Finch was known for her child-centered approach and her dedication to progressive learning techniques. She collaborated closely with Queen Charlotte, sharing an interest in reforming childhood education. She employed methods such as dissected maps, considered some of the earliest jigsaw puzzles, to teach geography, and organized lessons in the arts and sciences. Subjects taught included geography, English, grammar, music, needlework, dancing, and art, with French also incorporated into the children’s curriculum.

In 1774, after Mrs. Cotesworth, the sub-governess, retired due to ill health, Finch sought to reduce her involvement, citing her advancing age and concerns about her ability to fulfill her duties. Queen Charlotte initially opposed her resignation but eventually agreed after Finch suggested that a younger person could better support the children’s upbringing. Finch recommended Martha Gouldsworthy as her successor. Subsequently, new sub-governesses, including Mary Hamilton, were appointed to assist and supervise the princesses’ education.

Finch retired from her role as governess in 1793 but maintained correspondence with members of the royal family and continued to receive gifts from them.