Kissed by Two Kings

Youth, beauty, and intellectual vivacity seem to live upon the canvas, in their freshness of gaiety and fashion, and of joyous health. Such was the reaction to Sir Thomas Lawrence s painting of the Beautiful Miss Croker . This was a classic Regency-era portrait. Who was she? Dive into the fascinating story of Miss Croker . Kissed by Two Kings and a playmate to a future queen, Rosamund Croker personified the young, fashionable set in the Regency world captured by author Jane Austen. Glittering balls, palaces, prime ministers, politicians, and even the Duke of Wellington were part of the debutante s life! Becoming Lady Barrow, she kept her social connections while embracing the Victorian world of Charles Dickens, spreading the love of God, helping the poor, helping build a church, and founding a cottage hospital. This is the story of a woman who lived through five reigns and made a difference to society, all arguably stemming from a portrait painted when she was 17 years old!

John Mark Rowe is an active historian and author in Canada. As archivist for the Esquesing Historical Society and a member of the local heritage committee, he has written articles, reports, books, talks and led tours. Recognized for his service, Rowe received the Ontario Trust Lifetime Heritage Award, the Queen s Diamond Jubilee medal and the King s Coronation medal. A retired elementary teacher, Rowe shares his children and grandchildren with his wife, Kelly. Pagepix Ltd / The Worshipful Company of Woolm