Active as a married woman in 1896, married to Charles Gassiot and "Charles" is the 'C' on the plaque stands for, so the plaque tells us nothing about her first name.
From Friends of Honeywood we learn quite a lot about Charles: He, his brother John Peter and their father John Peter Snr. were part of the Martinez & Gassiot wine business in London and Portugal; the Vinters Company has a room named after Charles; the paintings given to the Guildhall Gallery by Charles Gassiot formed the core of the Victorian collection; Charles left his entire estate in Upper Tooting Elmwood House in trust to St Thomas Hospital and to other charitable organizations; Charles and his father are buried at West Norwood Cemetery.
The Guildhall Art Collections page says that the paintings were donated 1895-1902 by Charles and his wife Georgiana (thank you, Guildhall!) The Hammock tells us the Gassiots were childless. Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has subsequently researched the lady.
Georgiana Alice Whalley was born in 1829 in Exeter, Devon, a daughter of John Whalley and Charlotte Catherine Ann Whalley née Goodhart (1796-1841). She was baptised on 16 July 1829 in St. Sidwell's Church, Sidwell Street, Exeter.
In the 1841 census she is shown as living at Green Lane Cottage, Addlestone, Chertsey, Surrey, with her parents and five siblings: Frederick Robert Whalley (1824-1898), Charlotte Elizabeth Whalley (1827-1870), Emily Maria Whalley (1831-1879), Henry George Whalley (1835-1894) and Adolphus Jacob Whalley (1838-1905), together with a female servant. Her father was listed as being of independent means. Her elder brother, John Goodhart Whalley (1823-1885), had left the family home and was working as a clerk and living in London's Threadneedle Street when the census was taken. Her other brother, Arthur Whalley (b.1835) died in infancy.
The 1851 census shows her residing at the Upper Tooting Manor House, Streatham, Surrey, the home of her maternal grandfather, Jacob Goodhart (1770-1855) and his daughter Alice Goodhart (1795-1851), together with a cook, a footman and a female house servant. Her grandfather was listed as a freeholder and landed proprietor.
On 4 June 1857 she married Charles Gassiot (1826-1902) at Holy Trinity Church, Clapham, where the marriage register gives his Rank or Profession as a gentleman. Both were shown as residing in Clapham. In the 1860 edition of the Post Office London Directory her husband's address was recorded as 6 Loat's Road, Clapham Park, and electoral registers in 1866 show him still listed in Loat's Road. However, electoral registers in 1869 and 1871 state he was residing in Upper Tooting, Streatham.
In the 1881 census she is shown as living at Elmwood House, Upper Tooting, Streatham, with her husband, a housekeeper, a lady's maid, a housemaid and a kitchen-maid. Her husband's occupation was described as a wine merchant. The 1901 census shows her residing at 29 Upper Tooting Road, Balham, with her husband - who was still listed as a wine merchant, together with a housekeeper, a lady's maid, a housemaid, a kitchen-maid and a male domestic attendant.
Her husband died on 16 May 1902 and was buried in West Norwood Cemetery, Norwood Road, London SE27 9JU. She died, aged 80 years, on 3 November 1909 and according to probate records her home address remained as Elmwood House, Upper Tooting. She was buried on 6 November 1909 also at West Norwood Cemetery. Probate was granted on 21 December 1909 to her nephews: Frederick Henry Whalley (1868-1943) and George Edward Whalley (1871-1954) and to a Robert Peers Fenn. Her effects totalled £22,655-13s-7d.
