15. The Truth About Belle’s Half-Siblings Is Coming Into Focus
Much of the Dido Elizabeth Belle research is still in its infancy. After all, descendants of the Murray’s did not look into Belle’s history until the mid-1990s. Furthermore, Belle did not become a favorite topic for many historical researchers until the last decade. Before the following information, people figured Belle had at least one sibling because her father’s will left his estate to a John and Elizabeth. However, there was no mention of a Belle. This detail left people to wonder if he called her Elizabeth. However, many do believe that he did not mention Belle because she was provided for through Lord Mansfield and his family.
Today, we know that Belle had at least two living siblings who were younger. They were also, technically, only her half-siblings. Less than a year after Belle was born, a John Edward Lindsay was born in February of 1762. His Baptismal record, dated November 6, 1762, shows Sir John Lindsay and Mary Vallet as his parents. Unfortunately, he passed a month later. Baptism records for an Elizabeth show her father as Sir John Lindsay and her mother Martha G. Elizabeth. Sir John’s son, John Lindsay, was born in 1767. It is believed that these are the two children Sir John Lindsay mentions in his will.