Mariana Percy Belcombe was the daughter of Dr William Belcombe of Petergate, York.
Mariana and Anne were introduced when Anne was staying in York with Isabella Norcliffe and her family.
Mariana was a lover of Anne Lister between 1812 and 1828. She addressed Anne Lister as Fred in her letters.
On 9th March 1816, Mariana married married Charles Bourne Lawton and moved to the family home, Lawton Hall in Cheshire.
In March 1826, Mariana left her husband for a short time, and at Charles's request, Anne brought about a reconciliation between husband and wife.
Anne kept up the relationship with the couple in the hope that Lawton would die and the 2 women could live together. When Lawton suspected such a plan, he became jealous of Anne. Anne and Mariana kept up their correspondence and met from time to time at the Belcombe's family home in York, and in hotels at Scarborough [1823] and elsewhere.
Mariana remarked that Anne's increasing masculinity and manliness were becoming an embarrassment to her.
In her journals, Anne identifies Mr & Mrs Lawton as M– and C–.
In letters to her, Anne referred to her as Mary.
Lawton was known to have extramarital affairs.
In July 1821, Anne and Mariana developed symptoms of a venereal disease which Mariana had contracted from her husband as a consequence of his affairs.
In August 1822, Anne made out her will in Mariana's favour.
She outlived Anne by 28 years.
In the various editions of Anne's journals and letters, Mariana's name is variously spelled Marian and Mariana
Page Ref: MMB486
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