 Hester Santlow was born circa 1690, and by about 1705 had produced an illegitimate daughter named Harriot; the father was James Craggs.Harriot married firstly in 1726 Richard Eliot, having 9 children, including Edward Craggs-Eliot, 1st Baron Eliot, and secondly in 1749 to John Hamilton, by whom she had a son, John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn.In 1706, Santlow made her first appearance as a dancer at Drury Lane, and three years later as an actress on the London stage.