Adelaide Lucy Fenton (1824 or 1825 – 6 February 1897)[1] was an early female philatelist and philatelic journalist who was among the first to adopt a scientific approach to philately.

[1] In 1859, a Miss Adelaide Lucy Fenton, was a party to a legal case brought against Colonel John Alexander Forbes which alleged that he had, on 23 June 1859, "unlawfully and wickedly utter and publish an obscene and indecent letter, with intent to debauch and corrupt Adelaide Lucy Fenton, and with intent to incite her to commit a breach of the peace."

Separately, a Mr Llewellyn Watling of London, who had placed an advert seeking a job, had entered into a correspondence with a "Francis York" care of the Post Office, Bath, but the correspondence was broken off by Watling after unpleasant suggestions were made in the letters from Mr York.

[8] In 1865 Miss Fenton was involved in a further court case as a plaintiff when she alleged that she was knocked off her horse and injured by a cart which was driven in a reckless manner.

Correspondence printed in an article by Ron Negus indicates that Miss Fenton resigned due to "discourtesy" by a society officer.

[1] A portrait in miniature of Fenton at the time of her coming out ball, painted by Charles Foot Taylor, and one of her dresses, were shown on the BBC Television programme Antiques Roadshow in August 2018.