Search the Collection

Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies))

(1843-1880), Goddaughter of Queen Victoria

Sitter in 4 portraits
Now best known as Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Aina lived a life of extraordinary contrasts. Her story is one of displacement and reveals how she was fetishized in both Africa and England. Born in modern-day south-west Nigeria, Aina was about five years old when she was captured by soldiers of King Ghezo of Dahomey, a central figure in the transatlantic slave trade. She was discharged by the King to Captain Frederick Forbes, who was sent to west Africa to persuade the King to abandon slavery. He bargained to save the child, convincing the King to send her as a 'gift' to Queen Victoria. Before setting sail for England on board HMS Bonetta, Forbes had Aina baptised Sarah Forbes Bonetta. This stripped her of her original name 'Aina' and symbolically, of her west-African identity. The Queen, impressed by the young girl's intelligence and dignity, became her protector, funding her education and providing for her welfare. She became one of the Queen’s favourites and by her late teens, had entered elite society. She was highly regarded in the royal household, appearing at many social events including the wedding of Princess Victoria, the Queen's eldest daughter. It was at one such event that a Sierra Leonian merchant, prominent in missionary circles, first saw her and declared his interest in marrying her. The match was considered a suitable one and Aina was encouraged to accept the proposal from widower James Pinson Labulo Davies. In 1862, the couple married in a lavish wedding featuring ten carriages. They settled in colonial Lagos, naming their first child Victoria with the Queen's blessing. When Aina died of tuberculosis in Madeira, aged just 37, the Queen wrote: “Saw poor Victoria Davies, my black godchild, who learnt this morning of the death of her dear mother.” Caught up in Britain's imperial ambitions and plunged into Victorian high society, Aina had crossed immense boundaries between places, cultures and identities - often without a choice.

10 Likes voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Make a donation Close

List Thumbnail

Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies)), by Camille Silvy - NPG Ax61380

Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies))

by Camille Silvy
albumen print, 15 September 1862
On display in Room 23 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG Ax61380

Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies)), by Camille Silvy - NPG Ax61384

Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies))

by Camille Silvy
albumen print, 15 September 1862
On display in Room 23 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG Ax61384

James Pinson Labulo Davies; Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies)), by Camille Silvy - NPG Ax61382

James Pinson Labulo Davies; Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies))

by Camille Silvy
albumen print, 15 September 1862
On display in Room 23 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG Ax61382

James Pinson Labulo Davies; Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies)), by Camille Silvy - NPG Ax61385

James Pinson Labulo Davies; Aina (Sarah Forbes Bonetta (later Davies))

by Camille Silvy
albumen print, 15 September 1862
On display in Room 23 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG Ax61385

Related People

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

Lucia Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli

02 June 2022, 17:31

Benedetto Pistrucci (1783-1855) made a bust of Sarah Forbes Bonetta (1851), probabibly on marble , now lost ( L. Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli, 'Benedetto Pistrucci. Carte autografe e altri documenti' Bollettino di Numismatica on line, n.3, 2017, p. 209, n. 18)

Soviea Selman

31 March 2016, 16:55

Married Captain James Pinson Labulo Davies a Yoruba businessman in August of 1862 at St Nicolas Church in Brighton. Moved to Lagos West Africa where she died.