Earlier Dairy

‘From the diary of Thomas Hutchinson (1711-80) an American Loyalist living in London… we learn that there was a dairy at Kenwood before the model Dairy built in the 1790s that we have today. He wrote of his visit to Kenwood on 29th August 1790: “ ….She [Dido Belle] is a sort of Superintendant over the dairy, poultry yard, etc. which we visited. And she was called upon by my Lord [Mansfield] every minute for this thing and that, and shewed the greatest attention to everything he said.’

From Dido Elizabeth Belle, A Black Girl at Kenwood – An account of a protegée of the 1st Lord Mansfield by Gene Adams, an article in Camden History Review vol. 12

Dido Belle  was, brought up by  the Ist Lord Mansfield – she was reputedly the illegitmate daughter of his nephew and a black slave.

As Dido Belle left Kenwood in 1793, to start her married life as Mrs Davinier, we cannot claim that she graced the present Dairy except possibly as a visitor but it is charming to be reminded that there was a predecessor Dairy at Kenwood.

For more information about Dido Belle please follow this link:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/people-and-places/the-slave-trade-and-abolition/slavery-and-justice-exhibition-at-kenwood-house/