Madame (Frances Erskine Inglis) Calderón de la Barca

Born in Edinburgh in 1804, Frances Erskine Inglis later became known as Madame Calderón de la Barca after marrying Ángel Calderón de la Barca, a Spanish diplomat. Her life took her across countries and courts, giving her a wide view of politics, society, and everyday life.

She is best remembered for Life in Mexico, published in 1843, a book drawn from letters she wrote while living in Mexico during her husband's diplomatic posting there. The work has remained important for readers and historians because it captures the landscapes, customs, and social world of Mexico in the early nineteenth century with unusual immediacy.

In later years she lived in Europe and was also connected with the Spanish court. She died in Madrid in 1882, leaving behind a book that still stands out for its lively firsthand account of a changing world.