Английская Википедия:Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire

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Файл:Sargent - Lady Evelyn Cavendish.jpg

Portrait of Lady Evelyn Cavendish, John Singer Sargent (1902)

Evelyn Emily Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, Шаблон:Post-nominals (née Fitzmaurice; 27 August 1870 – 2 April 1960), was the wife of Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire. She was the elder daughter of politician and diplomat Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, and grew up amidst public life. Evelyn's marriage to Cavendish, nephew and heir presumptive of Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire, led to her becoming Duchess of Devonshire in 1908. With her position, she oversaw the reorganisation of the Devonshire estates and presided over four English houses and one Irish castle.

Evelyn held the position of Mistress of the Robes to Queen Mary from 1910 until 1916, when she accompanied her husband upon his appointment as Governor General of Canada. The Duchess held the position Viceregal Consort until the Duke's term ended in 1921. Upon returning to England, the Duchess again was appointed Mistress of the Robes to Queen Mary, holding the position until the latter's death in 1953. The Dowager Duchess, widowed since 1938, spent her final years living at Hardwick Hall, which was made over to HM Treasury in 1956, in part payment of death duties.

Family and early life

Lady Evelyn was born on 27 August 1870, elder daughter of politician and statesman Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne and his wife Lady Maud Hamilton, daughter of the 1st Duke of Abercorn.Шаблон:Sfn The Petty-Fitzmaurice dynasty were an Anglo-Irish aristocratic family, while the Hamilton dynasty were, by origin, an Ulster-Scots aristocratic family. Lord Lansdowne, Lady Evelyn's father, served as Governor General of Canada from 1883 to 1888, as Viceroy of India from 1888 to 1894, and as Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords from 1903 to 1916.Шаблон:Sfn Lady Evelyn was consequently raised to public life.Шаблон:Sfn

Marriage

Evelyn was married on 30 July 1892 to Victor Cavendish, the nephew and heir of the 8th Duke of DevonshireШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn and the youngest member of the House of Commons.Шаблон:Sfn They and their growing family resided at Holker Hall in Lancashire, and would be sad to leave it to Lord Richard Cavendish upon Victor's accession as Duke of Devonshire in 1908.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The family eventually came to include two sons, five daughters,Шаблон:Sfn and twenty-one grandchildren.Шаблон:Sfn

As part of the celebrations for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, Victor's uncle hosted the Devonshire House Ball, one of the event's most extravagant parties. Lady Evelyn attended in the dress of a Lady at the Court of the Empress Maria Theresa, while her husband dressed in sixteenth-century costume.

Duchess of Devonshire

Victor succeeded his uncle as 9th Duke of Devonshire in 1908, whereupon Evelyn became the Duchess of Devonshire.Шаблон:Sfn The Devonshires were one of the country's richest families, thought by some to have more wealth than the royal family.Шаблон:Sfn The Duchess was to oversee four large estates in England and one Irish castle.Шаблон:Sfn With her new position, she oversaw the reorganisation of the Devonshire estates.Шаблон:Sfn The Duchess strictly adhered to etiquette and her position,Шаблон:Sfn being characterised by a brother-in-law as "accustomed to authority."Шаблон:Sfn She was known for her abrasive personality; her granddaughter-in-law wrote that she "was not altogether easy to get on with,"Шаблон:Sfn whilst another referred to her as "an unpleasant woman."Шаблон:Sfn Her husband's biographer described her as "cold, authoritarian, and frugal,"Шаблон:Sfn and a servant recalled that "she wouldn't speak to you unless she wanted something, and I can't say she ever thanked you either."Шаблон:Sfn

In 1909, the Duchess founded the Derbyshire branch of the Red Cross and became its first president.Шаблон:Sfn She was appointed Mistress of the Robes to the newly crowned Queen Mary in 1910. In 1916, the Duke accepted the appointment of Governor General of Canada,Шаблон:Sfn and his wife relinquished her position to accompany him, along with six of their children.Шаблон:Sfn While in Canada, their daughter Lady Dorothy met Harold Macmillan, the future prime minister. While the Duke was delighted with the match, the Duchess was unhappy that Macmillan, though wealthy, was the member of a mere tradesmen family. She favoured a match between her daughter and the heir to the Duke of Buccleuch instead.Шаблон:Sfn Nevertheless, Dorothy and Macmillan were married in April 1920.Шаблон:Sfn

The Duke of Devonshire's tenure in Canada ended in 1921,Шаблон:Sfn and the Duchess resumed her role as Mistress of the Robes to Queen Mary, holding the appointment from 1921 to the latter's death in 1953. Queen Mary invested the Duchess as a Dame Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order in May 1937.Шаблон:Sfn

Widowhood

In April 1925, the Duke suffered a stroke that paralysed him and led to his gradual mental deterioration.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Previously a jovial man, the duke became miserable towards his family and others, and suddenly could not tolerate his wife.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Their granddaughter-in-law later recalled that "Granny Evie tried to carry on as if nothing had happened but the house and estate lacked a leader and it showed."Шаблон:Sfn The Duchess gained more authority over his estates, destroying its Decimus Burton-designed conservatory and saving expenses by introducing nettle soup to Chatsworth House,Шаблон:Sfn but their affairs "gradually went downhill."Шаблон:Sfn He died in May 1938;Шаблон:Sfn after his death, the Duchess took up residence at Hardwick Hall, where she oversaw a significant amount of repair work of its tapestries and embroideries.Шаблон:Sfn

In 1950, the unexpected death of the 10th Duke of Devonshire and the subsequent death duties (rated at 80%) caused the sale of many of the Devonshire assets and estates, including Hardwick. The decision was made to hand the house over to HM Treasury in lieu of Estate Duty in 1956. The Duchess agreed to the plan despite her love for the estate. In 1959, the Treasury transferred the house to the National Trust.Шаблон:Sfn The Duchess remained in occupation until her death on 2 April 1960. Having done much to conserve the textiles in the house, she was to be its last occupant.

Issue

Файл:Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, with children, Speaight, CL No. 669 1909.jpg

The Duchess of Devonshire, with three of her children

They had two sons and five daughters.Шаблон:Sfn

• Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (6 May 1895Шаблон:Sfn – 26 November 1950); married Lady Mary Alice Gascoyne-Cecil, daughter of James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury
• Lady Maud Louisa Emma Cavendish (20 April 1896Шаблон:Sfn – 30 March 1975)
• Lady Blanche Katherine Cavendish (2 February 1898Шаблон:Sfn – 1987)
• Lady Dorothy Evelyn Cavendish (28 July 1900Шаблон:Sfn – 21 May 1966); married Harold Macmillan
• Lady Rachel Cavendish (22 January 1902Шаблон:Sfn – 2 October 1977); married James Stuart, 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn
• Lord Charles Arthur Francis Cavendish (29 August 1905Шаблон:Sfn – 23 March 1944); married Adele Astaire
• Lady Anne Cavendish (20 August 1909Шаблон:Sfn – 1981); married, firstly, Henry Hunloke, then Christopher Holland-Martin and, lastly, Victor Montagu, 10th Earl of Sandwich

References

Works cited

• Шаблон:ODNBweb
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:ODNBweb
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book

External links

• Шаблон:Commons category-inline
• Шаблон:Find a Grave