Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harvey, Margaret
HARVEY, MARGARET (1768–1858), poetess, daughter of John Harvey, surgeon, of Sunderland, was born in 1768. The early years of her life were passed at Newcastle-on-Tyne, where she published by subscription ‘The Lay of the Minstrel's Daughter; a poem in six cantos,’ 1814, 8vo. Her ‘Monody on the Princess Charlotte’ was published in 1818. About this time she removed to Bishop Wearmouth, Durham, where she assisted in keeping a ladies' school, and published ‘Raymond de Percy, or the Tenant of the Tomb, a romantic melodrama’ (Bishop Wearmouth, 1822). In the preface she invokes the spirit of Garrick. The piece was performed at Sunderland in April 1822. She wrote some other minor poems. She died at Bishop Wearmouth on 18 June 1858 (Gent. Mag. 1858, ii. 202). Miss Harvey's sister Jane was a painter of miniatures on ivory; Andrew Morton, the portrait-painter (1802–1845), was her pupil.
[Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. xi. 389, 4th ser. ix. 469, x. 93, 260; Brit. Mus. Cat.; preface to Raymond de Percy; the Museum copy of the Minstrel's Daughter contains two manuscript letters of Margaret Harvey.]