About Her Story

Why Mariana?

My interest in Mariana Lawton sparked in 2019 with the premiere of the HBO/BBC television show Gentleman Jack. While Mariana was a supporting character in the story of Anne Lister, Lydia Leonard's performance brought Mariana to life in such a brilliant display of emotion and magnetism.

I initially began research trips to the UK in May 2019 to see all the places related to the real Anne Lister. The more I learned about Anne Lister, the more I learned about Mrs. Lawton. This led to a passionate interest in Mariana and her entire Belcombe and Lawton families. I have spent the last four years diving deep into Mariana's life, visiting archives, locating lost graves, taking selfies in front of random houses, and learning about the 19th century.

My visits to Mariana Land™ are tallying double digits with no plans of stopping. With every visit to the UK in person and virtually to an archive, I discover at least one piece of information about Mariana that I didn't know before. I want to share every article of knowledge with as many interested people as possible.

Unfortunately, Mariana didn't have the opportunities in her life to live as carefree and open as she may have wished (or could have wished). She did not inherit a family home or have a family that could financially support her spinster lifestyle to travel with her 'gal pal.' She lived the only way she knew how, which demanded she hide herself and her passions from the world.

I know there are still women experiencing that today. My goal is to share the story of Mariana so that maybe she'll speak to others and inspire them to live freely.