Charlotte Guest (1812–1895)

Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Guest, née Bertie, later Lady Charlotte Schreiber, is best known for her pioneering English translation of the major medieval work, the Mabinogion. She was a daughter of Albermarle Bertie, 9th Earl of Lindsey, and his wife Charlotte Layard. She studied with her brothers' tutors to learn Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Persian, and taught herself French and Italian. She also studied archeology and became passionate about medieval history and legends. At the age 21, she moved to London, where she met John (later Sir John) Guest, a successful industrialist whom she married in 1833. The couple moved into a large new house in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales and had 10 children. Lady Charlotte acted as an accountant for her husband's company. She learned Welsh and became a co-founder of the Society of Welsh Scholars of Abergavenny. She also worked to improve childhood and adult education in her community. After her first husband's death, Lady Charlotte fell in love with and married her son's tutor, Charles Schreiber. They travelled widely in Europe and were keen collectors of ceramics; the collection can be seen today in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.