Early life

Anna was born in St Kitts and Nevis (officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis), in the Caribbean, in 1788 to John Macnamara and his wife Rebecca.

John Macnamara was a slave-owner and, reputedly, squandered three fortunes. Anna had two siblings:

• Elizabeth Walwyn Macnamara, who married Sir Thomas John Tyrwhitt, the Right Honourable (MP for Bridgnorth), and therefore became a Lady.
• Frederick Hayes Macnamara, who married Jane Elizabeth Williams, and was the father of Louisa Cranstoun Nisbett ,a well-known comic actress and went by the stage name of Miss Mordaunt.) He held a commission in the 52^nd regiment as an officer.

Marriage 

On the 25^th August 1807 Anna married James Edmund, the 9^th Lord Cranstoun, on St Christopher. Like Anna, James was born on St Kitts. They married at the ‘Retreat’ (James’ home), later known as ‘Cranstoun’s’. Like his father-in-law, Lord Cranstoun was a slave owner on a sugar plantation. Together they had 4 children:

• Eliza Linnington (1808-1849)
• James Edward (1809-1869), who became the 10^th Baron Cranstoun upon the death of his father in 1818
• Anna Caroline (1812-1847)
• Charles Frederick (1813-1869), who became the 11^th Baron Cranstoun upon the death of his brother in 1868. He was, however, only holder of the title for a few months as his died the same year.

A society scandal

Anna was considered a beautiful and elegant woman, known for her fashion (which was often mentioned in newspapers, such as in The Morning Post in July 1814, where she wore A petticoat of white satin, trimmed with blond and knots of tulle and ribbon; Russian drapery of pink tulle, richly embroidered, and looped up with pink and white Provence roses: bodice and sleeves of pearls, in the old English costume; train or pink satin, trimmed with tulle and ribbon. Head-dress of diamonds and feathers.). She also took in the ‘seasons’, attending balls and parties.

Anna was also the centre of a scandal, in 1815, when her husband, the 9^th Lord Cranstoun, entered their drawing room to find his wife ‘in the arms of’ his friend Colonel Disney. Induced into jealousy, the Lord Cranstoun fired at the Colonel, wounding him in the arm. The shot ricocheted off the Colonel’s arm and killed Anna’s favourite dog dead.  Rumours circulated that the Lady Cranstoun and Colonel Disney were in their bedroom, but the record was set straight when Colonel Disney claimed, in his defence, that he was only looking at Anna’s lame leg, given that she had recently been seen by a surgeon. The scandal was put to verse in the Bury and Norwich Post:

On a late FASHIONABLE ECLAIRCISSEMENT.

When to clear up the matter his Lady began,

Pray, why was his Lordship so eager to shoot,

Since it seems, after all, that the Colonel, good man,

Was only just taking the length of her foot!

The 9^th Lord Cranstoun could be seen as a rather animated and fiery man, especially considering he was also recorded as having put up ‘a spirited resistance’ when the boat he was on, the Lydia (bound for St Kitts and Nevis), was captured by the French in 1809.)

Married only 11 years, the 9^th Lord Cranstoun died in 1818; Anna died in 1858, having never remarried.

Death

Anna died in Bristol and is buried with her daughter Anna Caroline Cranstoun. She is not interred with Lord Craustoun.