Katherine Tolson
Katherine Alexandra Tolson, born Miss Katherine Burstow, is the current Baroness of Middleton, and is the eldest child of Lawrence and Alexandra Burstow, Baron and Baroness of Roth. She is the maternal aunt of Juliet Landon, and is a NPC created by Izzie.
As with all NPCs, the PB for this character is only tentative, and can be used for an actual character.
 |
|
| Portrayed by Liv Tyler | |
| Full Name | Katherine Alexandra Tolson (nee Burstow) |
|---|---|
| Associated Noble House(s) | Baronry of Roth, Baronry of Middleton |
| Date of Birth | March 15, 1762 |
| Father | Lawrence Burstow |
| Father's Rank | Baron of Roth |
| Mother | Alexandra Burstow (nee Akitt) |
| Mother's Rank | Baroness of Roth |
| Town Residence | {{{residence}}} |
| Year of Debut | 1782 |
| Dowry | £10,000 |
| Year of Marriage | 1782 |
| Spouse | Thomas Tolson |
| Spouse's Rank | Baron of Middleton |
| Issue | Edward Tolson, Charlotte Tolson |
Family
Eldest child of Lawrence and Alexandra Burstow. Is married to Thomas Tolson, and has two children: Edward Tolson and Charlotte Tolson. Her siblings are Marion Landon and Samuel Burstow.
Childhood
Like her younger sister Marion, Katherine grew up in an unstable and unhappy home. Unlike Marion, however, Katherine did not try to plot her way out of her unhappy life - instead, she became flighty, getting into trouble, and shirking all of her responsibilities. She knew that she was beautiful, and relied on that beauty to get her out of trouble, even though it was usually her sister's plotting that helped. When their mother died, Katherine was left to take the position of head of the household at the age of 12. She refused her responsibilities, and spent her days with friends and flirting with the gentlemen around the estate.
Debut & Marriage
In 1782, Katherine was sent off to London with a governess to make her debut in society. She was aware of the pressure placed up on her by Marion, who expected her to make a good match, so that Katherine might be able to lift their family out of poverty. Panicking slightly, and wanting to find love, she fell for the first gentleman who paid attention to her - Thomas Tolson, Baron of Middleton. The two eloped, causing a scandal, and set out for India. It was only until they were halfway to India that she discovered Thomas' true nature - in a similar manner to her father, Thomas was verbally, and sometimes physically, abusive. Here she found herself in a kind of trouble that not even her little sister could get her out of.
India
India was nothing like Katherine expected. Even though she had been warned of the heat and the fearsome creatures that resided there, the reality was so much different. Arriving in Bengal in 1783, Katherine found herself with very little company, as the Bengal colony at that time was still very small. The community that did exist was close knit, and while Thomas worked at the East India Company, Katherine spent her days integrating herself into the community. She gave birth to her first child, Edward Tolson, in 1784. A second child, Charlotte Tolson, arrived in 1789. Katherine spent more and more time with her children, as Thomas seemed to almost resent the presence of two children, only Edward was of any use to him as the heir. While the children grew up, they faced dangers that Katherine never thought possible: the constant fighting between the East India Company and the native Indians, the wildlife, and the heat all contributed to an interesting upbringing. While both children had hiccups of scandal in their adolescence, Katherine managed to keep most of it at bay, so as not to incur the wrath of Thomas. In early 1810, a summons from England arrived, calling the Tolson's back to England for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Return to London
Katherine is thrilled to be returning to England, London in particular. While she last left the city in a bit of a disgrace, she has found many of her peers to be very welcoming and is happy to be back home with her family, away from the scorching heat of India that had been her prison for almost three decades.