11 Facts About George Keate

George Keate was a versatile author, known as an artist, who travelled and became a friend of Voltaire.

George Keate was son of George Keate of Isleworth, Middlesex, who married Rachel Kawolski, daughter of Count Christian Kawolski.

On leaving school Keate was articled as clerk to Robert Palmer, steward to the Duke of Bedford.

George Keate entered the Inner Temple in 1751, was called to the bar in 1753, and made bencher of his inn in 1791, but never practised the law.

George Keate's money came from the dozens of houses that his family owned in Whitechapel.

For some years George Keate lived abroad, mainly at Geneva, where he met Voltaire, and in 1755 he was at Rome.

George Keate was in turn poet, naturalist, antiquary, and artist.

George Keate was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766.

George Keate was buried at Isleworth on 6 July, and a white marble monument, with bust by Joseph Nollekens, was placed near the spot where he and his wife, who died 18 March 1800, aged 70, were buried.

Between 1766 and 1789 George Keate exhibited six pictures at the Society of Artists and thirty at the Royal Academy.

George Keate died 8 January 1850, and was buried in her husband's grave at Kensal Green Cemetery.