Cecilia Serle (née Novello) (1812-90)

BC MS NCC/9/2/43 Edward Petre Novello self portrait studies

NCC Family RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

The Novello Cowden Clarke Collection represents the activities of an extraordinary Anglo-Italian family of artists, musicians, writers, publishers and actors during the long nineteenth century.

BC MS NCC/1/3/1 Portrait of Giuseppe 'Joseph' Novello

Giuseppe 'Joseph' Novello (1744-1808)

Giuseppe ‘Joseph’ Novello was an Italian confectioner and pastry cook who moved to London in 1771.

BC MS NCC/9/4/1 Proof engraving of Vincent Novello

Vincent Novello (1781-1861)

Vincent Novello was a musician, composer and music publisher.

Charles Cowden Clarke (1787-1877)

Charles Cowden Clarke was an writer, lecturer and Shakespeare scholar alongside his wife, Mary Victoria Cowden Clarke (née Novello).

BC MS NCC/3/5/2 Watercolour portrait of Mary Sabilla Novello

Mary Sabilla Novello (née Hehl) (1789-1854)

Mary Sabilla Novello (née Hehl) was married to Vincent Novello and supported their education and careers of their children. She wrote an important diary of their travels across Europe in the summer of 1829.

BC MS NCC/19/11/43 Carte de visite of Thomas James Serle

Thomas James Serle (1798-1889)

Thomas James Serle was an actor, dramatist and journalist, who married Cecilia Novello.

BC MS NCC/4/8/3 Engraved portrait of Mary Cowden Clarke

Mary Victoria Cowden Clarke (née Novello) (1809-98)

Mary Victora Cowden Clarke (née Novello) was a writer and Shakespeare scholar alongside her husband, Charles Cowden Clarke.

BC MS NCC/7/8/2 Carte de visite of (Joseph) Alfred Novello

(Joseph) Alfred Novello (1810-96)

(Joseph) Alfred Novello was a music publisher and first son of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/9/7/7 Miniature portrait of Cecilia Serle (née Novello)

Cecilia Serle (née Novello) (1812-90)

Cecilia Serle (née Novello) was the second daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/9/1/55 Watercolour sketch of a self-portrait by Edward Petre Novello

Edward Petre Novello (1813-36)

Edward Petre Novello was an artist and the second son of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/10/4/1 untitled oil sketch [portrait of Emma Aloysia Novello by Henry Sass]

Emma Aloysia Novello (1814-1902)

Emma Aloysia Novello was an artist and third daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/11/2/1 Photograph of Giovanni Battista Gigliucci and Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello)

Giovanni Battista Gigliucci (1815-93)

Conte Giovanni Battista Gigliucci was an Italian politician born to an aristocratic family in Fermo.

BC MS NCC/12/7/2 Proof print of Clara Anastasia Novello engraved by William Humphreys

Clara Anastasia Novello (1818-1908)

Clara Anastasia Novello was an internationally-recognised soprano and the fourth daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/13/9/15 Pencil and watercolour portrait of (Mary) Sabilla Novello

(Mary) Sabilla Novello (1821-1904)

Mary Sabilla Novello, known as Sabilla to distinguish her from her mother, was the youngest surviving daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/15/2/1 Photographic reproduction of a portrait of Giovanni Gigliucci

Giovanni Gigliucci (1844-1906)

Conte Giovanni Gigliucci was the first son of Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

BC MS NCC/16/2/2 Carte de visite of Porzia Gigliucci as 'Thalia'

Porzia Gigliucci (1845-1938)

Contessa Porzia Gigliucci was born in 1845, the eldest daughter and second child of Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

Emma Clara Serle (1846-77)

Emma Clara Serle was the eldest surviving daughter of Cecilia Serle (née Novello) and Thomas James Serle.

BC MS NCC/17/1/1 Photographic reproduction of a portrait of Mario Gigliucci

Mario Gigliucci (1847-1937)

Conte Mario Gigliucci was the second son and third child of Clara Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

BC MS NCC/18/2/2 Carte de visite of Valeria Gigliucci as 'Mirth'

Valeria Gigliucci (1849-1945)

Contessa Valeria Gigliucci was born in 1849, the fourth and youngest child of Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

Cecilia Serle (née Novello) was the third child of Vincent and Mary Sabilla Novello. She married the dramatist, actor and journalist Thomas James Serle on 3 September 1836 at St Anne’s Church, Soho, with whom she had three daughters, two of whom survived: Mary Sabilla Serle and Emma Clara Serle. Emma was baptised alongside her sister Lydia Mary at the English Protestant Church in Dinan, France, on 1 May 1857. She was also a singer and actor and among other roles, played the part of Ophelia in a production of Hamlet in Paris, alongside the notable actor William Macready. Cecilia died at Villa Novello in Genoa, Italy, on 20 June 1890 and left her estate of £687 11d. 5s. To her sister (Mary) Sabilla Novello.