To date, I have written quite a few articles about Dido Elizabeth Belle, but suddenly realised that I have largely ignored the co-sitter in the famous portrait, her cousin, Lady Elizabeth Mary Murray, so it’s time to rectify this, but of course it wouldn’t be complete without a snippet of new information about Dido, so do read on!
If we think today’s families are complicated, this might give you a clue that little has really changed since the 1700s.
Lady Elizabeth Mary’s father was David, the 7th Viscount Stormont, later to become the 2nd Earl of Mansfield. It was whilst he was ambassador to the Elector of Saxony that he met his first wife, Henrietta Frederica, the daughter of Henry Graf Bunau. By the time they met, Henrietta was a widow, her husband Frederik de Berregaard, having died two years previously.
The couple married on 16 August 1759 and almost nine months to the day, on 18 May 1760, Lady Elizabeth Mary was born in Warsaw, Poland. The couple went on to have another daughter, Henrietta, born 16 October 1763, but sadly, she died in Vienna, whilst an infant, closely followed by Henrietta herself, who died on 16 March 1766 also in Vienna, aged just 29.
Henrietta was interred at the Protestant churchyard in Vienna, with minimal fuss and ceremony, but her heart was removed, embalmed and taken to Scone at the request of her husband.
This left David with a daughter to raise alone, a situation which would be almost impossible, so he did what he thought was for the best, and brought Lady Elizabeth Mary back to England in May 1766, and took her to Lord and Lady Mansfield, who were able to give her a more stable upbringing, something that would have been extremely difficult given her father’s ambassadorial post.
On 6 May 1776 at St George’s Hanover Square, David married for a second time. His second wife being the Honourable Louisa Cathcart (1758-1843), thirty years his junior and just two years older than his daughter, Lady Elizabeth Mary who would have been just sixteen at this time.
They went on to have a further five children –David (1777-1840), George (1780-1848), Charles (1781-1859), Henry (1784-1860) and lastly, Caroline (1789-1867).
Their eldest son, David, Elizabeth Mary’s half-brother, would, in due course, become the 3rd Earl of Mansfield.
Mary Hamilton’s diary of Saturday 7th August 1784 provides a tiny glimpse into how others viewed Lady Elizabeth. It does have to be noted though that throughout Mary Hamilton’s whilst there are plenty of mentions of Lady Elizabeth or letters by her, Hamilton never mentions Dido at all.
As ye. Servant. told me Lord Stormont’s Daughter — was come from Ken-
Wood. I went in for a few Minutes. I found her in the library writing to relations to acquaint them of Lady Stormont being brought to bed — She told me she wrote ye. first letter to me yesterday to me — but Lord Stormont would not let her send it as he had written himself. Miss Murray told me she had seen Lady Stormont this Morning. & that she & ye. dear babe were charming well. She promised to give my love to Lord & Lady Stormont, she goes back to Ken-Wood but is to come to Town every Morning. Miss Murray is Lord Stormont’s only child by his first wife who died when she was very young. She is near a year older than her mother in law — about 26 or 7. She lives with Lord Mansfield & was educated by the ye. late Lady Mansfield & two of Lord Stormont’s Sisters who also reside with Lord Mansfield. She is pleasing, good humour’d — well accomplished, & conducts herself with that propriety which ought to distinguish a woman of fashion & good education.
In September 1796, David, 2nd Earl of Mansfield, died suddenly in September 1796, whilst at Brighton, from a stomach spasm.
When the 2nd Earl of Mansfield was buried at Westminster Abbey, he specifically requested that his heart should be removed, embalmed and take to Scone to be reunited with that of his first wife, the true love of his life. There is a memorial to both the earl and Henrietta at Scone. I do wonder how Louisa, his second wife, must have felt about that!
From the Hampshire Chronicle 17 September 1796 account it would appear that the 2nd Earl’s funeral didn’t go quite as planned. His remains were brought from Brighton where he died, to his residence in Portland Place and from there to Westminster Abbey with all the pomp and ceremony you would expect for such an eminent person.
Crowds of people gathered jostling to get a better view of the proceedings outside the abbey. The hearse door was opened, two of the bearers drew out the coffin, and had got it on their shoulders, but through the indecency of the multitude who pressed forward to teat off the ornaments, the horses took fright, and ran off before the other men were ready, consequently the corpse fell to the ground, and the coffin was shattered so much so that the foot part bulged, and a number of the nails and ornaments were forced out.
The concussion must have broken the leaden receptacle, as a large amount of water poured from it. It was all repaired as quickly as possible and his body was interred in the family vault. The former lord and his lady were the only two, beside his Lordship, who were buried in the tomb contiguous to the Earl of Chatham’s monument, on the north-west side of the chancel.
Louisa survived her husband by 47 years and didn’t waste much time in marrying again. On 19 October 1797, her second husband became Robert Fulke Greville (1751-1824), the son of Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick. Robert was known to have been a favourite at court, initially an equerry to King George III, later becoming Groom of the Bedchamber.
Louisa and Robert went on to have a further three children – Lady Georgiana (1798-1871), Lady Louisa (1800-1883) and finally, the Honourable Robert (1800-1867).
Returning to Lady Elizabeth Mary, she married into another long-established family, the Finch-Hattons. On 15 December 1785, at Lord Mansfield’s town house she married George Finch-Hatton by special licence, her fortune upon marriage was said to be £17,000 – £10,000 from Lord Mansfield (the £10,000 payment is also confirmed in Lord Mansfield’s account book, dated 16 December 1785), plus £7,000 from her father (about 1.5 million pounds in today’s money).
Lady Elizabeth Murray marriage entry in parish register of St Gile’s in the Fields, Holborn, confirming that they married at the home of Lord Mansfield. Following the service performed by the Archbishop of York, the couple set off for celebrations at Kenwood House. There is no indication as to whether Dido Elizabeth Belle would have attended the wedding itself, but she would almost certainly have been present for the celebrations at Kenwood.
Whether this marriage was a love match or arguably, more about ‘keeping it in the family’ who knows, as Lady Elizabeth’s husband George, was the son of Edward Finch-Hatton, who was the son of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham and 7th Earl of Winchilsea. Daniel’s youngest daughter was, co-incidentally, also the father of Elizabeth Finch, wife of Lord Mansfield.
Most places seem to show that Elizabeth Mary and George had just three children, so let’s set this record straight – they had seven.
Their first child was a daughter, Louisa, who was born 12 November 1786. Louisa married the Honourable Charles Hope (1768-1828), the son of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun (1704-1781) and his third wife, Lady Elizabeth Leslie. The couple married on 30 April 1807 at the church at St. Marylebone, although their marriage was also registered at Aberlady, Scotland.
27 October 1788 at Gretton, Northamptonshire, their second child, Anna Maria was born. Anna Maria never married and died on 2 December 1837 and was buried a few days later at All Saints, Leamington Priors, Warwickshire.
Most records seem to have written Anna Maria out of history, and yet she was referred to by Lady Anne Murray in a letter of 6 January 1789, which she wrote to Mary Hamilton:
She was also mentioned by the author Jane Austen in somewhat less than flattering terms, in a letter to her sister Cassandra on 6 November 1813:
Lady Eliz. Hatton and Annamaria called here this morning. Yes, they called; but I do not think I can say anything more about them. They came, and they sat, and they went.
It would be two years after the birth of Anna Maria, that their third child was born, Elizabeth Henrietta, who was born on 19 January 1790. Elizabeth never married and died at the age of 30, in 1820. Elizabeth helpfully left a will, in which she left bequests for all her siblings.
Their fourth child was their son and heir, George, who was born on 19 May 1791. He attended Westminster school, then Cambridge university. He then went on to have a military career, before becoming a politician and became well known for a duel with the then Prime Minister, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
George married three times, his first wife being Georgiana Charlotte Graham (1791-1835), his second wife being Emily Georgiana Bagot, who died in 1848 and finally Fanny Margaretta Rice, who outlived George who died in 1858. George and his first two wives died at Haverholme Priory, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
Today, in the neighbouring village of Ewerby, is a village pub named after the family, The Finch Hatton Arms, which was apparently used by the family as a hunting lodge.
Their fifth child and second son was Edward Frederick, who was baptised at Eastwell, Kent on 16 January 1793. Edward Frederick’s life was cut short, when he died at the age of just 20, and was buried 8 September 1813 at Eastwell. No cause of death was provided for Frederick, but the Kentish Gazette, 7 September 1813, reported that he was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and was much lamented by his family and friends.
Their sixth child and third son was Daniel Heneage, who was born at the family home, Eastwell, Kent on 5 May 1795. Daniel went into the church and eventually married on 15 December 1825 at St George’s, Hanover Square and kept his marriage ‘in the family’ so to speak. As noted earlier, Daniel’s maternal step grandmother was Louisa, 2nd Lady Mansfield. On the death of Lady Elizabeth’s father, she married again. Her second husband being Robert Fulke Greville. Together they had three children. Daniel Heneage married the middle child, Lady Louisa Greville. Daniel died in 1866 at Weldon, Northamptonshire.
Emily was their seventh and youngest child and, who, like several of the others, appears to have been all but written out of history. Emily was born 12 Oct 1797 and baptised at Eastwell. In 1826, she married a vicar, Alfred Charnley Lawrence, who was the rector of Sandhurst, Kent. The couple had three children and Emily died in 1868.
From the newspapers of the day you get the impression that Elizabeth Mary was something of a social butterfly, frequently paying visits to people within in her social circle, being seen in all the ‘right places’, attending and hosting balls, one of which that warrants mention, held for her three younger daughters:
Saint James Chronicle 10 May 1817
Lady Finch Hatton’s Ball – this elegant Lady opened Mansfield House, in Portland Place, on Thursday evening, with a ball and supper. It was a juvenile party, for the express purpose of introducing the three accomplished Misses Hatton into the fashionable world.
We must also remember that when Lady Anne Murray, Lady Elizabeth’s paternal aunt, died on 3 July 1817 at her Brighton home, leaving many bequests to faithful servants, she left the bulk of her estate to Lady Elizabeth Mary’s husband, George, along with bequests for all of their children.
George immediately decided to sell the property and the interested buyer was none other than Prince Leopold, husband to Princess Charlotte, for her to spend some time in after her accouchement, but as she died during negations for the purchase, it did not proceed. Instead it was sold to Thomas Harrington Esq for £9,300.
Lady Anne also left £50 to each of Dido Elizabeth’s 3 boys. This implies that in late 1804, when she wrote her will, that Dido’s son John, believed to have died in infancy was in fact still alive at that time. Lady Anne must have kept in touch with Dido’s family, as she knew Dido had died, but what became of her son John remains unsolved.
Lady Anne’s sister, Lady Marjory, who had purchased Radnor House, Twickenham after the death of Lord Mansfield, died in 1799, was also clearly very fond of Dido as she too left her £100 in her will.
George Finch Hatton died in 1823 and Lady Elizabeth Mary, just two years later in Edinburgh.
She left a very detailed will, ensuring that all her surviving children were well provided for. In her will, there is a lovely mention of her late mother, Henrietta when she specifically left Anna Maria a miniature portrait of her, a memory of her mother kept safe for almost 60 years.
One final snippet of information, Lady Elizabeth Mary’s great grandson, Denys Finch Hatton (1887-1931) the son of Henry Stormont Finch-Hatton, 13th Earl of Winchilsea and 8th Earl of Nottingham (1852 – 1927), had a relationship with Karen Blixen, who wrote her autobiography – Out of Africa. The film of the same name was loosely based on her book.
Sources
Paul. Sir James Balfour. The Scots peerage; founded on Wood’s edition of Sir Robert Douglas’s peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom. Volume 8. Page 208-209
Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1280
The Scots Magazine 7 November 1763
Caledonian Mercury 14 April 1766
Oxford Journal 31 May 1766
Dublin Evening Post – Tuesday 27 December 1785
Hereford Journal – Thursday 22 December 1785
Bolton Chronicle 9 December 1837
Edinburgh Sheriff Court Inventories SC70/1/33
Feltham, John. A Guide to all the watering and sea bathing places 1813. p87
Header Image
Dido Elizabeth Belle. The portrait hangs at Scone Palace in Perthshire.
All Things Georgian 
Another great piece of detective work, Sarah! I found it interesting that Lady Elizabeth Mary married in a private home by special licence and with the Archbisop of York conducting the service. One of my readers complained when I included a scene of a wedding in a private home in one of my books.
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Thanks, Penny. It wasn’t that unusual for the elite to marry at home. I’ve certainly come across it a few times before. The marriage was then recorded in the parish records. I’ve added a copy of their marriage entry to the blog, for reference.
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In Wikipedia it says Margaret Lindsay Ramsey brother sir John Lindsay stayed loyal to Her after she married that artist why?
And how do they now he was cool with it. Also I wonder is it possible if u can research sir john Lindsay parents like do they have portraits? And what do they do ? Do they have anything archived about them?
Also what happend to lady Anne after Mansfield and his wife died?
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Hello Hendel
Goodness, that’s a lot of questions, let’s try to unravel them.
Margaret eloped with the artist Allan Ramsay, something her father disapproved of. The Lindsay’s were an affluent family and Ramsay was a relatively poor artist, so Margaret’s father probably felt Ramsay wasn’t good enough for his daughter. Ramsay and Margaret moved to London in 1757, having travelled around Europe painting tourists. He became the ‘go to’ artist painting the nobility of the time. I can’t see on Wiki where it is says Sir John Lindsay remained loyal to her, but as her brother, I’m sure Sir John remained loyal to his sister.
Sir John Lindsay’s parents – it is possible for me to take a look at their lives, although it’s much harder to find much about them due to the Scottish records. When I’ve looked previously, there doesn’t appear to be much for the Lindsay family of Evelick, so it can prove quite expensive to request possible records just to check them out, especially as I’m not able to visit the Scottish archives any time soon. I’m not aware of any portraits of his parents, but I will do some research to see if anything still exists.
Lady Anne Murray moved to Brighton at some stage after Lord Mansfield died in 1793, her house is shown above in the article. We know from her will that she remembered both Lady Elizabeth who was of course married by then, and also Dido’s sons – it’s worth noting that although it’s always believed that only 2 of Dido’s sons survived, when Lady Anne wrote her will in 1804, all 3 children were still alive as she bequeathed £50 to each of them. Lady Anne left the majority of her estate to Lady Elizabeth’s husband – George Finch Hatton.
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Sorry for asking so many questions lol but thank you for answering all of them I appreciate gives me an understanding thank you again
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Absolutely no need to apologise at all. It’s lovely that people are so interested in the 18th century 🙂
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I have so many question!! 😉
Can you tell me more about the life of Elizabeth Murray, from what I know she was kind to Dido and think of her as sister, so her life might be very colourful indeed for such kind lady
1. In the movie belle 2013, we were told that Lady Elizabeth and her stepmom Louisa has bitter relationships that make me wonder if it’s true, but from your post Lady Elizabeth first born daughter was named Louisa presumably after her stepmom which might indicate fondness, If I’m not mistaken Lady Elizabeth half brother and heir to Earl of Mansfield also named his firstborn daughter Elizabeth, and again from your post Lady Finch Hatton ball was held in Mansfield house at that time when her half brother was Earl.
2. Elizabeth home, how was her life in Kirby hall or Eastwell park while from your post we know she resides in Hertford street, mayfair London while Dido live in Pimlico, it is not Far away, I wonder if Elizabeth would have meet or invite Dido?
3. about Elizabeth’s dowry, it was said to be £17,000 – £10,000 from Lord Mansfield plus £7,000, so when Lord Mansfield die, Elizabeth received additional £10,000, making her personal wealth £27,000?
What about her mother’s dowry “Henrietta Frederica, the daughter of Henry Graf Bunau. By the time they met, Henrietta was a widow, her husband Frederik de Berregaard”, Elizabeth was Henrietta only surviving child, so she should have inherited her mother’s dowry and wealth from her mother previous marriage? Is she not and how would that estimate and would that make Elizabeth quite rich?
4.Was Lord Mansfield shunned by society? Because technically Elizabeth married her relative.
5.After watching Bridgerton Season 2, I notice that Violet Bridgerton ( Daphne’s mom) was actually 5 year younger than Lady Elizabeth Finch Hatton, while the eldest Bridgerton is the same age as the eldest Finch Hatton, can’t help imagining her life quite similar to Bridgerton, helping her debutante daughter being presented to Queen Charlotte. Speaking of which in the movie, we also get snipet of Lady Elizabeth during her London season as debutante, is there any record of this, When she was being presented to Queen Charlotte and who presented her? And would Dido accompany her to London. also did she met George Finch hatton during london season, he was quite a catch considering he has Kirby hall or Eastwell park?
this post has been amazing but we still know so little of Dido’s cousin, only the lifes of her kids. would be awesome if you made another post and what her life has been and who knows if something come up about Dido too, thank you in advance
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Thank you so much for your questions and it’s difficult to provide full answers to some, as there is so far very little known about Lady Elizabeth Mary Murray, which is not unusual for that period, especially relating to women. Unless documents have survived, we can only piece together a limited amount of information about their lives.
Your first question asks about the relationship between Lady Elizabeth and her step mother, Louisa. I think some creative licence may well have been used in the film. From the very little we know, there is nothing to indicate that they didn’t have a good relationship. Louisa, Lady Stormont, was only a couple of years senior to Elizabeth, so they would probably have had a good deal in common, Lady Elizabeth was 16 when her father married Louisa and she was still living with Dido at Kenwood, but it is known that Lady Elizabeth was at her father’s main home at Wandsworth in August 1781, as a couple of letters have been found, in which she wrote to Mary Hamilton (1756-1816) telling her about the birth of Louisa’s 3rd child, Charles, in which Elizabeth referred to Louisa as ‘our dear Lady Stormont’ hardly unfriendly, I would suggest. Yes, Lady Elizabeth named her daughter after her step mother, again, I would suggest a sign of friendship.
Your second question relates to where Lady Elizabeth lived. The property in London was her ‘London home,’ somewhere she would use when visiting town, and yes, not far away from Dido, so it would seem likely that assuming they kept in touch that they would visit each other, but this of course, is speculation as we have no evidence to confirm it.
Question 3 relates to Lady Elizabeth’s wealth. Anything left by her mother we have to assume would automatically have gone to her husband, the then Lord Stormont, rather than to Elizabeth. Elizabeth and her husband benefitted significantly from several people’s wills including Lord Mansfield, Lady Anne and Lady Margery.
Question 4. I’m not quite sure I understand this question. Lady Elizabeth married George Finch Hatton who was not a direct relative. George’s father, Edward (1697-1771), was the fifth son of Daniel, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, whose sister was 1st Lord Mansfield’s wife, Elizabeth Finch (1704-1784).
Question 5, again from the Mary Hamilton letters we know that both Lady Stormont and Lady Elizabeth were known to Queen Charlotte, but as to when/if she was presented to the Queen we have no idea, but both George III and Queen Charlotte visited Kenwood so it’s feasible that they may have met Lady Elizabeth and Dido, but there is no definitive proof as yet. No evidence has survived confirming when Lady Elizabeth first met George Finch Hatton, but the families were close so they may well have known each other for some time, prior to their marriage.
Research continues into the life of both Lady Elizabeth and Dido Elizabeth Belle, so do keep an eye out for future posts. 😊
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thank you so much! i’m sorry i haven’t replied sooner :). i applaud your reply and throughout the week, have been continously reading about David Murray, Lady Stormont, and Mary Hamilton. idk why but it was interesting to learn that Dido’s life revolved around the highest echolon of society.
i didn’t realize that David Murray and Lady Stormont ‘s lives were almost like Bridgerton, a lot of things i have read shown them conversing with the Prince of wales, going to royal ball, etc. i’m suprised i have never read it anywhere that they are in the Royal court circle and attending these royal gathering.
David Murray Viscount stormont was a British ambassador from 1762-1772 to Empress Marie theresa in Vienna, this was when he met young Marie Antoinette, she was only 5 years older than Elizabeth, it’s a possibility that Lady Eliz had met Marie Antoinette before she was sent to kenwood in 1766 age 6. is it not?
and it was when Lord stormont become British ambassador to France and again meet Marie Antoinette, then the dauphine become friends with him because she saw a familiar face from when she was in Vienna. she called him “la belle Anglaise”, The famous french Queen also gifted him a rieseiner desk. it was known Lord Mansfield was presented by Lord Stormont to Marie and Louis during his visit.
would it be safe to assume that Lady Eliz attend the royal ball at carlton house in 1784, she would have been presented and out in society years earlier, would Dido be in attendance too. i read about Prince of wales asking Lady stormont to invite Mary Hamilton to the ball in 1784 at carlton house, the prince also begged sir hamilton mary’s uncle to persuade Mary to come to the ball. it was known Lord stormont and lady stormont was in attendance, but no mention of Lady Elizabeth, but Mary did said that 8 of her friends would be there or has expected her attendance 3 of whom is her uncle, lord and lady stormont.
lastly Mary Hamilton perhaps has the most interesting life out of them all, i read her life story article it was so dramatic, she was born aristocratic but she was weirdly poor, and complained a lot of unable to purchase books that she liked, but in one of the letters she gifted Lady Elizabeth “her fine chalk” despite her economy, she also subjected to the future king’s love and obsession for her, it was so nerve wrecking to read her letters. the bright side is her cousin Lady Stormont invited he r and keep close friendship.
very interesting stuff indeed, yes i’m passionately waiting for more story and connection to both eliz finch hatton and dido again thanks very much.
also i’m unaware that Jane Austen visit Eastwell park in 1805
Austen wrote to her
sister Cassandra in August 1805: ‘Our visit to
Eastwell was very agreeable; I found Ly. Gordon’s
manners as pleasing as they had been described, and
saw nothing to dislike in Sir Janison, excepting once
or twice a sort of sneer at Mrs Anne Finch. . . [The
Misses Finch] were very civil to me, as they always
are; fortune was also very civil to me in placing Mr E.
Hatton by me at dinner.’ even Austen take a shine to Edward hatton
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It does seem feasible that Lady Elizabeth may have met Marie Antoinette, but as yet there’s nothing to substantiate it, but you never know, something may turn up in the future.
The royal ball at Carlton House, there were said to have been around 600 people at the event, but I haven’t found a complete list of who attended, but I’m sure Lord and Lady Stormont would have been there, as for Lady Elizabeth and Dido – it’s possible. I’m hoping a full list of attendees will appear at some stage as it would be lovely to prove that both girls attended.
The recently released Lady Mary Hamilton Papers are extremely interesting and I have read the ones from Lady Elizabeth to her including the reference to the ‘fine chalk’. (Papers for anyone who wishes to read them can be found here – https://www.digitalcollections.manchester.ac.uk/collections/maryhamilton/1
Lady Mary Hamilton was Lady Stormont’s cousin, so it’s to be expected that they kept in touch.
Yes, you’re quite correct about Jane Austen visiting Lady Elizabeth and her children.
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Marie Antoinette seems like one of the Georgian era trendsetters, would love if something turn up.
exactly, it was so interesting i can’t stop reading it. as i read more of Mary Hamilton’s diary
My hope is shattered, here i was hoping Dido and Eliz might attend the famous royal ball at Carlton House, imagining what they would have worn to the ball.
But this was Mary’s account on the ball.
” a little after
10 Lady Stormont came for me
Miʃs Murray (Lord Stormonts
daughter by his 1st. wife) was
with her we went to Careleton
House — saw ye. Prince soon after
we got into ye. 2d. Room his
R. H was very gracious
& expreʃs’d great pleasure
in seeing me — had two ”
it seems she implied that lady Eliz went with them to the ball, while Dido was left at home.. i’m quite saddened, although i’m still hoping Dido would attend other balls. Actually throughout her diaries and her letter, i have yet seen a mention on Sir John Lindsay or Dido Elizabeth Belle, strange because i remember reading Mary Hamilton visited Kenwood several times and had met Lady Eliz, her 2 aunts, all of the family member.
yes please do read more about the Mary Hamilton Paper can’t wait for your account on that since it relates a lot to Dido and Eliz, and the society of georgian era in general. i must confessed a lot of things and norms in her paper does confuse me a modern reader.
alas thank you again for the recommendation :), i feel like we keep finding new pieces to the puzzle, i wouldn’t have known any of them if it weren’t from your post, and also can’t stop reading your older and newer post, now i can safely say i too are quite obsessed with Georgian period
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I haven’t come across that letter, do you have the reference number or date for it, as I’d like to read, it as it does seem to confirm that Dido perhaps wasn’t present. Like you, I would have hoped that if Lady Elizabeth attended that so would Dido 😦 I really must find time to have a really good read all her letters, as I’m sure there will be more fascinating information about the period – they are very much on my ‘to do’ list 🙂
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p.s 600 people on the ball is insane and hard to imagine, sad that Dido wasn’t among them, unless you found a complete list then i can still be a little hopeful.
regarding Jane Austen some people suggest that Dido Might inspire Mansfield Park, which is quite astonishing if it were true
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It is hard to imagine a ball of that size, although I do suspect the press had exaggerated it a little 🙂
I have heard that said about Mansfield Park, but I think that’s something we will never know for sure.
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https://www.maryhamiltonpapers.alc.manchester.ac.uk/letter/AR-HAM-00002-00008/
it’s the 75 image document
“Wednesday 10th- March 1784
The Morning paʃs’d in writing
Notes — cleaning my diamonds
sorting my things — having
my dreʃs’d tried on &c
&c — recd. some fine
flowers from Miʃs King &
Lady Dartrey. din’d soon”
yeah my hope was shattered, but i’m still hopeful something will turn up about Dido.
yes please do, pasionately waiting for more content, so much interesting fact about them and their relation, curious about the ball, architecture, dress, jane austen royal admirer,etc
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Fabulous, thank you. I suspect there will be an article about the ball at some stage if I can find out more 🙂
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i have found another bizzare fact. So Lady Eliz’s son George Finch Hatton inherit his great grandfather title, but “Burley on the hill House” the house built by his great grandfather The Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea, this magnificent house was built as the seat of Earl of Nottingham, Earl of Winchilsea.
but the cousin George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea,4nd Earl of Nottingham gave the ancestral seat and various extensive family land to his illegitimate child George Finch.
i couldn’t help to think the rightful heir might get into rage and family fight, it’s one thing to give some property but to give away the family seat meant for the holder of the title and the property too to illegitimate son, now i wonder if George Finch Hatton inherited just the Hollow title but none of the wealth, even more family feud will ensue.
it doesn’t help that kirby hall is 15 miles away from Burley on the hill House. this just bewildered me its like giving Chatsworth house to illegitimate children who isn’t holder of the title
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I’ll have to read up on their wills to find out more 🙂
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Sarah, may I know the source for this “her fortune upon marriage was said to be £17,000 – £10,000 from Lord Mansfield plus £7,000 from her father (about 1.5 million pounds in today’s money).” specifically the said £7,000 from her father.
I read Lord Stormont’s will recently and it seems he didn’t further left Lady Elizabeth anything else as he deemed she has been amply provided for.
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I have added in the source for this, but it also appeared in several other newspapers of this day.
We have no way of knowing for sure that the figures are absolutely correct unless there’s a way of confirming them with the bank, assuming records have survived!
Yes, you’re quite correct. I would imagine that Lord Stormont felt that Lady Elizabeth had more than enough money to live extremely comfortably given her husband’s wealth, plus monies received from him and Lord Mansfield.
She would also benefit from assets from other family members in due course, such as Lady Margery Murray who died in 1799 and Lady Anne Murray who died in 1817, both women lived at Kenwood whilst Lady Elizabeth was growing up and were believed to be close to her.
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thanks Sarah the source does help with some need evidence for wikipedia page. Yes shame that we won’t know the amount she actually get.
Lord Stormont seemed very sensible and fair person
yes I have added the additional assets from Lady Margery Murray and Lady Anne Murray, all of this made Elizabeth quite a pretty wealthy heiress
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I haven’t given up on the search to stablish exactly how much she did receive. Yes, Lord Stormont did strike me as being very fair and sensible, after all, Lady Elizabeth would have been a very wealthy woman, if that payment is vaguely correct and her husband’s family were also wealthy, so it makes sense the Lord Stormont would split his estate between her other siblings.
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Just a quick update on the amount of money given to Lady Elizabeth upon her wedding – I have just received an email from the bank used by Lord Mansfield, which confirms that he paid £10,000 to George Finch Hatton on 16 December 1785. Unfortunately I’m not at liberty to name the bank in question .I haven’t managed to track down the remainder paid by her father … yet!
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thank you! this remained very fascinating to me, but I suppose out of all her inheritances, the one by Lord Mansfield was the most convincing, the rest felt very speculative to me.
the biggest mystery for me was how much money did Lady Elizabeth received from her mother, and did she receive it when she died or through Lord Stormont. I did found that gossip of the day mentioned Henrietta as “Polish Lady” a protestant with a fortune of 17,000 l, but I also found that Henrietta sold all her first husband’s 3 properties in 1760, after she had married Lord Stormont in 1759, which could mean that the 17,000 wasn’t her entire wealth or could be just the dowry given by her father, but then again how accurate was that gossip if they even mistaken her as a Polish when she was a German Saxon.
thanks for the reply
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I have honestly no idea about the money from her mother nor the properties from her first husband, but it was the norm for money to go to the husband. upon marriage at that time. The only way to prove any of it would be to find household accounts for clues.
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2023 Update
I have found that, this calling card wasn’t Lady Elizabeth’s calling card. But in fact, her husband George twice 1st cousin Lady Hatton Finch (23 February 1747 –1829), daughter of 8th Earl of Winchilsea and Mary Palmer who died unmarried. She resided in 18 Hereford Street, Mayfair, Oxford Street with her sister Lady something Finch.
It has come to my attention that this calling card was not that of Lady Elizabeth Finch Hatton. But in fact, her husband George’s first cousin named Lady Hatton Finch (1747 – 1829) Lady Hatton Finch was the unmarried daughter of the 8th Earl of Winchilsea, she shared a home with her unmarried sister, Lady Charlotte Finch, at 18 Hereford Street, Mayfair, Oxford Street. So Lady Elizabeth and George’s London residence is still unknown.
I only found this after I realized that Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold actually resided in 10 Hereford Street called Camelford House from 1816-1817, which would make them neighbors. (considering their negotiations of Marlborough House, Brighton) (also Lady Anne’s will stated that she left her estates to Lady Elizabeth and George as her sole executor)
But I suppose Lady Elizabeth was still quite a social butterfly, because I also found from the Notorious Lady Honywood (Hon. Frances Courtenay)’s self published memorial, in them she wrote to George Finch Hatton in 1811 that she met Lady Elizabeth at Lady Darlington’s ball and Elizabeth had apparently snubbed her (for a good reason, Ldy Honywood seemed to emotionally blackmailed George using his dead mother, it’s a whole conflict and George was implicated because he was to be her referee), (Lady Darlington in Question was Lady Catherine Powlett (1766–1807), first wife of William Vane of Raby Castle, Earl of Darlington later 1st Duke of Cleveland).
Secondly, (Whether this marriage was a love match or arguably, more about ‘keeping it in the family’ who know)
From Lady Stormont’s letter to Mary Hamilton, it seemed it might be a love match
“Miss Murray happily matched with a person who is very much attached to her…. worthy of her. this Mr Hatton Finch Nephew to Lady Mansfield he has very good fortune. perhaps you know one of his place Kirby in Northamptonshire.”
There was also a note from how George to his architect Bonomi, basically telling him to make Lady Elizabeth’s dressing room larger. Lady Elizabeth’s dressing room ended being larger than the bedroom and it viewed the celebrated park, while her husband’s dressing room was way smaller and viewed the service wing. (this could be act of love but also could be a sensible choice considering they have many daughters), also they already had 3 sons but evidently still continued to “produce more children” this definitely raised my eyebrow.
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You’re quite correct about the calling card, thank you. I’ll remove it from this post as it’s not relevant where it is. I knew the address was familiar – the unmarried sisters lived there together at Hereford Street, it’s referenced in their wills – Charlotte (1731-1796), Augusta Elizabeth (1750-1797), Essex (1745-1811) and Hatton (1746-1829). Given the date of the calling card, 1811, it must have belonged to Lady Hatton Finch.
That’s a interesting letter about George and Elizabeth – I hadn’t seen that before.
Yes, that letter does make it appear to have been more of a love match between them, but wealth and power were always a serious consideration too! 🙂
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your welcome :), thanks for the reply and articles!! interesting family unmarried connections.
yes it must be nice if she did find her love within her aristocratic suitors.
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