Charity Pritchard

Charity Pritchard

Portrayed by Alexis Bledel
Full Name	Charity Pritchard
Associated Noble House(s)	Marquessate of Emerson
Date of Birth	23rd February 1792
Father	James Pritchard
Father's Rank	Lord James Pritchard
Mother	Louise Pritchard
Mother's Rank	Lady James Pritchard
Town Residence	Emerson House, 38 Grosvenor Square
Year of Debut	1811
Dowry

Charity Pritchard is the orphaned daughter of James Pritchard and Louise Pritchard. She is nineteen years old and currently living with the Pritchard Family in London. She is niece to the Marchioness of Emerson, Winifred Verlaine-Pritchard, cousin to Blake Pritchard and Gabriel Pritchard and sister to Elise Hampton.

Her extended family includes her Aunt, Elizabeth Thorpe, and other members of the Pritchard Family

Early Years (1792-1796)

Charity Angelique Pritchard was born to the second son of the 5th Marquess of Emerson, Lord James Pritchard. He married Louise, Comtesse d'Jourdes, in the winter of 1790, a year later, they welcomed their precious baby girl into the world. In the early hours of that winter morning morning, Louise Pritchard, a striking french lady, was heard bellowing the ill fates of her husband once she had completed her task in birthing her first daughter. She spent her early childhood years blissfully at her family's home in Surrey, a beautiful creation of portland stone with a grey roof that James had bought upon his marriage. The house, Ivy Crescent, was named by its previous for the ivy that climbed high on the outer walls. The newly married Pritchards found the name whimsical and pleasant enough and never changed it. They had kept farms and orchards on their land, Louise loving the idea of picking fruit during the harvest season. Of the farms, Charity loved the turnip farm nearby the most, and has vague memories running down the lanes in springtime.

Death of her parents (August 1796)

The year she turned four, Charity's parent's elected to depart on a tour of the continent, which would take them away for most of the year. Charity was then old enough that Louise could leave her without worrying and admist laughter and the inevitable tears, the Pritchards left in March of 1796. Charity, ensconced with her nursmaids and Nanny had no idea that her mother and father would not return from their holiday. News came almost six months later, when she and the remaining retainers at Ivy Crescent received the Marquess of Emerson's family unannounced. News had came via Telegram. The ship that her parents had been on was caught in the storm; it had taken months for news to be collected and sent to the Pritchard's relatives, and the bodies to be identified. There were few survivors, none of whom bore any resemblence to James or Louise.

Guardianship of raven-haired Charity was passed to her aunt and uncle, and it didn't take long for Charity's nanny to move the girl and her entourage of servants to the Marquess's country home in Kent. Thereafter, she lived under her uncle's roof, and upon his death, her cousin's.

Youth (1796-1810)

After joining the Marquess' household, she was quickly adapted to a lifestyle with two consummate older brothers, Blake Pritchard and Gabriel Pritchard and one younger sister, Elise Hampton. She studied with Elise under the same governess, and went riding in the open fields with the boys. Her aunt and uncle were indulgent to say the least, and as Charity grew, she started to display the same characteristics of young mother, happy, affectionate, dramatic and just a little impetuous. She learned family loyalty that extended to her friends, from her childhood, Penelope Grove, Elizabeth Dunford and Rosalind Fairmont, who she sometimes saw as an older sister. She was exceptionally close to Henry Layton, Earl Parry, a friend of Blake's who visited often and also Thomas Sterne a friend of Gabriel's from University.

Her childhood and subsequently her youth passed in nothing but bliss and youthful frivolity with accompanying the Marchioness into the city whenever it pleased her Ladyship.

Debut (1811)

Charity offended half of London and impressed the other half by going down to her debut ball with a dress that was almost backless [1]. Talk was at an all time high, and Charity reveled in it. She danced the first dance with Henry Layton, and proceeded to enjoy herself immensely, regardless of the looks, whether happy or not. It was at this party that she was formally introduced to Juliet Landon a new friend who she likes very much.

She is also particularly affected by David Alford, Lord Auckland, who finds her frivoulos and quite stupid [2].

Her return to London has also see her making friends and meeting many people. Among her renewed friendships are that with Penelope Grove, Patrick Grove, Elizabeth Dunford and Rosalind Fairmont. She is happy to have met Viola Fitzgerald and her sister Olivia Fitzgerald, Juliet Landon and Charlotte Tolson, Victor Kincaide, Regina Rutledge and John Rutledge.

Battle of the Debutantes

In this war between Julianne Grafton and new comer Juliet Landon, Charity is most definitely on Juliet's corner of the ring. Now fast friends with Juliet, Charity is devoted to her cause and will do anything and everything to aid Juliet in pulling a peg (or ten) of Julianne's off. Charity has believed Juliet's side of the story and finds her beyond reproach. This battle has also caused some slight animosity between Charity and Elise Hampton, though, as always, arguments regarding Julianne, a common occurrence in the Pritchard household, was swept quickly under the carpet.