The Novello Cowden Clarke Family

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

The Novello Cowden Clarke Family

Biographies of members of the Novello, Cowden Clarke and Gigliucci families; an extraordinary Anglo-Italian family of artists, musicians, writers, publishers and actors of 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.

The Novello Cowden Clarke Collection holds some of the most significant material in Special Collections, famously including locks of Mozart’s and Beethoven’s hair and a signed edition of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.

This Research Spotlight provides individual biographies for each of the Novello, Cowden Clarke and Gigliucci members of the family represented in the collection, which was donated to the University by descendants of the family in 1953. It represents the activities of this extraordinary Anglo-Italian family of artists, musicians, writers, publishers and actors during the long nineteenth century.

In addition to the importance of their own cultural contributions, the family operated as part of an influential network which included Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Leigh Hunt, John Keats, Charles and Mary Lamb, Felix Mendelssohn, William Morris, Florence Nightingale, Gioachino Rossini and Mary Shelley.