Elizabeth Parish (; 1740/41 – 24 April 1823) was a Swiss-born English governess and lady's companion. She was the daughter of Swiss-born reformed pastor Andreas Planta who became assistant librarian at the British Museum in 1758, and the sister of Joseph Planta, who became principal librarian. She worked for the Bowes-Lyon family in several roles: first, she was governess to Mary Eleanor Bowes, then she became lady's companion to her mother, Mary Bowes . She was the governess of Mary Eleanor Bowes's children until she was dismissed from service in 1776, receiving a generous payoff of £2,000. In 1777, she married John Parish, Superintendent of Ordnance and a member of the Society of Antiquaries. From 1785, she worked for the Bowes-Lyon family again, as governess for Mary Eleanor's daughter Anna Maria Bowes, who escaped her custody and eloped in 1788. Parish moved to Gibraltar with her husband in 1791, returning to England after his death. She died in Petersham in 1823. Two volumes of music in her hand are archived at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, one containing among other vocal works 18 compositions of Maurice Greene, and another one with music from operas.
Early life and family
Parish was born as Elizabeth Planta in 1740 or 1741, to Andreas Planta, a Swiss Reformed pastor who was at the time working in the Swiss town of Castasegna, one of only a few parishes with an Italian-speaking Protestant population. Her mother was Margarete Scartazzini de Bolgiani from Bondo. She had several sisters including Frederica Planta, who became governess and English teacher of the daughters of George III and Queen Charlotte, and one brother, Joseph Planta, later principal librarian of the British Museum. After spending time in Erlangen and Ansbach from 1745, her father moved to London with his family in 1752 to become pastor of the German Reformed congregation at the Savoy Chapel in London where he took up the position of assistant librarian at the British Museum in 1758. The family continued to speak Romansh at home during their time in London.
Work for the Bowes-Lyon family
From 1757, Planta worked for the Bowes-Lyon family as governess to eight-year-old Mary Eleanor Bowes; in the same year her father was engaged as the child's French teacher. In addition to serving as Mary Eleanor's teacher, Planta was also her chaperone and accompanied her to cultural outings. After the death of her father, George Bowes in 1760, Mary Eleanor became heiress of a vast fortune. In the absence of her mother Mary (née Gilbert) Bowes, who left London and returned to her home in St Paul's Walden Bury, Mary Eleanor was brought up by her aunt Jane Bowes, together with Planta and several teachers. During this time, the influence of the Planta family (both Elizabeth and her father Andrew) may have started Mary Eleanor's lifelong interest in botany.
Planta worked as governess until 1767, when Mary Eleanor married John Lyon, the 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, who took her last name. Planta, who had advised against the marriage, was kept in the family's employ as lady's companion to Mary Eleanor's mother Mary Bowes, often accompanying her to the opera. Planta and the younger Mary kept in contact, writing letters in French and Italian. When she was offered the post as the English teacher to the daughters of George III and Queen Charlotte in 1771, she declined the offer, expecting better rewards from staying with the Bowes family. Her sister Frederica was then appointed at court, receiving a salary of £100 that Planta described as "mediocre". In 1774, she returned to Bowes's employ as governess of her children.