Daniel Gardner, A.R.A. (Kendal 1750-1805 London)

It has not been possible to identify the sisters with absolute certainty. The pastel has previously been sold with the title Harriet and April Fortescue and Harriet and Anne Fortescue and with the note that Harriet and her sister later became the Hon. Mrs George Knox and Mrs Parkinson Buxton respectively. This previous cataloguing identifies Harriet as the daughter of Thomas Fortescue and his second Wife Mary Nicolson. Fortescue had a daughter Anna Maria by his first wife. As the provenance is given as the Marques of Lothian this help helps to strengthen this identification as the 5th Marquess of Lothian was married to Thomas Fortescue's sister Elizabeth (1745-1780); children of Chichester Fortescue (1718-1757) and Elizabeth Wesley. However it appears that the girls would be six years apart in age, which seems less credible from their portrait. Other possible candidates from the Fortescue family come with similar difficulties of age and differences in name.

There is another version of the present pastel, at Duff House, Aberdeenshire.