Jane Lyon
Scottish nanny
About Jane Lyon
Lived 1771 – 1842 (aged 70–71).
Jane (Jenny) Lyon (1771–1842) was a Scottish nanny to the Russian imperial family.
Biography Jane Lyon was born in Edinburgh in 1771. Her father and elder brothers had been recruited in 1784 by Catherine the Great's Scottish architect, Charles Cameron, to assist in building works at Tsarskoe Selo, the imperial estate near St. Petersburg.
Influence on Nicholas I of Russia Simon Sebag Montefiore claims that 'Nicholas had been taught to hate the Jews by' Jane Lyon.
The Scottish influence Lyon was not the only Scottish nanny/governess recruited to imperial service. The empress Catherine had earlier appointed two Scottish nurses for her elder grandchildren: Pauline Gessler and Sarah Nichols, n. Primrose.
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Important facts
People in Jane Lyon's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jane Lyon's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jane Lyon?
Scottish nanny
When was Jane Lyon born?
Jane Lyon was born in 1771 in Edinburgh.
When did Jane Lyon die?
Jane Lyon died in 1842 in Tsarskoe Selo.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jane Lyon. https://biography.guide/jane-lyon/
MLA: "Jane Lyon." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jane-lyon/.
Chicago: "Jane Lyon." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jane-lyon/.
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