Is Marian Lister Based on a Real Person? What Happened to Marian Lister? – Gemma Whelan portrays Marian Lister. Marian Lister is used to being in the shadow of her older sister. She is quieter and less outgoing than Anne, but she is well aware that when Anne goes, the drama follows. Marian is sympathetic and concerned about her sister’s emotional well-being, despite their differences.
Marian is interested in politics and supports parliamentary change, which her conservative sibling despises. Marian is sympathetic and concerned about her sister’s emotional well-being, despite their differences.
‘Gentleman Jack‘ is a fascinating historical drama television series that gives viewers a glimpse into the lives and times of Anne Lister, a trailblazing landowner and diarist in nineteenth-century England. She is widely regarded as the first modern lesbian, for defying gender stereotypes and establishing herself as a strong entrepreneur in Halifax.
Sally Wainwright created the programme, which is based on Anne’s true diaries and focuses on her engagement and later marriage to Ann Walker.
Anne Lister’s business ventures, previous love affairs, and interactions with her family members are all explored in the show. Because so many of the central characters in HBO ‘Gentleman Jack’ are based on real persons in Anne’s life, viewers may wonder if her sister Marian also existed. Everything you need to know about her is right here.
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Is Marian Lister Based on a Real-Life Person?
Yes, Marian Lister is a character in ‘Gentleman Jack’ based on a real person. Marian, the younger sister of Anne, was born on October 12, 1798, to Jeremy Lister and Rebecca Battle. Out of the six Lister siblings, the sisters were the only two to live past the age of twenty. Their four brothers died at an early age from various illnesses, and their mother, Rebecca died in 1817.
Marian is shown in ‘Gentleman Jack’ as having disagreements with Anne about Anne’s inheritance of Shibden Hall, and she continually feels like she is living in her sister’s shadow. This is somewhat true, as Marian did appear to have some resentment toward Anne for receiving the greater portion of the family inheritance. Not only that, but in 1834, she married John Abbott, a rug weaver, in a similar fashion to the play.
Marian’s sister, on the other hand, was against the marriage, owing to their social status contrasts with John. Anne was also likely to become estranged from her family when she began to travel often. According to Angela Steidele’s biography of her, when she returned from a long walking journey in the Pyrenees in 1831, she fled home at once because she didn’t want to live with Marian and their father.
‘Gentleman Jack‘ presents a very realistic portrayal of how things may have been amongst the Lister siblings, despite the lack of knowledge about Marian and Anne’s connection. Marian is played by actress Gemma Whelan, who portrays a traditional sister who, despite her differences with Anne, is fiercely loyal to her.
Furthermore, the on-screen Marian is enthusiastic about Anne’s female interactions and is concerned about her emotional well-being. She is also a responsible daughter and niece who maintains the household in her sister’s absence and warmly welcomes Ann Walker into the family. Marian and Anne become one another’s support systems in the show, despite their bittersweet equation.
What Happened to Real Marian Lister and How Did She Die?
Following the deaths of her father, Jeremy Lister, and aunt Anne Lister Sr. in 1836, Anne assumed command of Shibden Hall. Marian then left the estate and relocated to the family’s Skelfler House estate, which she inherited as her birthplace.
In 1839, she was residing in North Cave, where her sister, and Ann Walker visited her. She also paid them a final visit to Shibden Hall the following year, before Anne’s death in 1840. Marian lived in a variety of places in England throughout her life, including Beverley, Scarborough, St. Paul’s Square (York), Durham, Portsea, and St. Jude, according to public records. She also went to Shibden Hall to meet Dr. John Lister, the relative who found Anne’s journals afterward.
Marian never married John Abbott and appeared to enjoy a good life with the money she inherited and the annual pension she received. In August 1882, she died at the age of 84 and was buried at St. Anne’s Church in Southowram, West Yorkshire.
You can stream ‘Gentleman Jack‘ on BBC TV, HBO and Prime Video and Hulu.