Adelaide Lucy Fenton
Adelaide Lucy Fenton (1824 or 1825 – 6 February 1897) was an early female philatelist and philatelic journalist who was among the first to adopt a scientific approach to philately. Fenton has been called "...the first female philatelist of note". Early life Adelaide was born in 1824 or early 1825, the daughter of Captain James John Fenton of the 44th Regiment. Scandalous letters In 1859, a Miss Adelaide Lucy Fenton, was a party to a legal case brought against Colonel John Alexander Forbes which alleged that he had, on 23 June 1859, "unlawfully and wickedly utter and publish an obscene and indecent letter, with intent to debauch and corrupt Adelaide Lucy Fenton, and with intent to incite her to commit a breach of the peace." The case was widely reported in the press of the day. Miss Fenton was described as "a lady, well known in fashionable circles, and much esteemed in Bath." Miss Fenton deposed that she was an unmarried lady residing at 3 Montpelier, Bath and not at all acquainted with the defendant. A number of anonymous obscene letters, including drawings, were alleged to have been sent by Forbes to Miss Fenton over several years. Separately, a Mr