Catherine Despard


Catherine Despard was an advocate for prison reform. She was married to Edward Despard, ringleader of the Despard Plot.

Biography

Little is known about Catherine Despard's life prior to her marriage to Edward Despard. She was from the Caribbean, likely the Bay of Honduras, where her husband was stationed as Superintendent of British Honduras. In biographies, Catherine Despard has been described as being from an unknown background, reported as either Jamaican or Spanish Creole. It is unknown in what year the Despards married, but upon their return to England in 1790, they were married and had a son, James.
In 1798, Despard's husband was arrested and imprisoned at Coldbath Fields Prison on suspicion of treason. Catherine Despard publicly campaigned against the conditions her husband was subjected to in prison, attracting the support of the proponent of prison reform Francis Burdett. She embarked on a letter-writing campaign writing to the Duke of Portland, Sir Richard Ford, William Wickham, and various London newspapers detailing the poor conditions in the prison. As a consequence, a debate on habeas corpus for Edward Despard was carried out in the House of Commons, with Catherine Despard's letters presented by MP John Courtenay. There was an inquiry into the condition at the prison and Catherine Despard was a witness. Despite these efforts, he remained in prison for three years.
In 1802, following his subsequent arrest for the Despard plot, Despard visited her husband in prison where she was suspected of bringing in contraband and seditious materials to him and the other arrested rebels. She helped to compose the speech Edward Despard gave at the gallows, when he was executed on 21 February 1803.

In popular culture

She is portrayed by Kerri McLean in the fifth series of Poldark.