Wednesday 1 May 2013

Young Nellie

‘Francis Charles Needam, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey, who was born in London in 1842, succeeded to the title and estates of his grandfather in 1880. His father, Lord Newry, eldest son of the [2nd] Earl, had died as far back as 18[51] ... .(Kilmorey Papers)  Lord Kilmorey married in 1881 Ellen Constance ["Nellie"], daughter of the late Mr Edward H[olmes] Baldock, M.P. ... for Shrewsbury [1847-57], and of Elizabeth, fifth daughter of Sir Andrew Corbet, 2nd Bt, of Moreton-Corbet, Salop ...'. [D2638/E/24-6.] Lady Kilmorey's grandfather, another Edward Holmes Baldock (1777-1845), who founded the family fortunes, has been the subject of a two-part article by Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue, Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art, in The Connoisseur for August 1975. He describes the first Baldock as '... an antique dealer who ended his days as an armigerous gentleman, ... numbered among his clients George IV and William Beckford, ... became "Purveyor of China" to William IV and Queen Victoria, [and] specialised in foreign porcelain and furniture. ... [In the period up] to 1827 ..., he contributed to the refurnishing of Windsor Castle, selling the King cabinets, sofas, chairs and Sévres porcelain.’ …Following his death, his son and namesake married into the baronetage and became an M.P. (without ever making a speech in the House of Commons). '... On his [Edward Holmes Baldock II's] death on 15 August 1875 his estate, which was valued at under £140,000, was divided between his son, also named Edward Holmes Baldock, and two daughters [one of whom was the future Lady Kilmorey]. His assets consisted principally of consols and railway stock, as well as real estate property [in and near Oxford Street, in the Haverstock Hill area of London, etc] from which he derived an annual income of £1,093 11s. 4d. ...' (Kilmorey Papers, 2007)
 [Lord and Lady Kilmorey's children were]: ... Francis Charles Adelbert Henry Needham (the 4th Earl); Capt. the Hon. Francis Needham, Grenadier Guards [grandfather of the present (6th) Earl of Kilmorey]; and Lady Cynthia Almina Constance Mary Needham who, in 1908, married Viscount Villiers, now [8th] Earl of Jersey. ...'. [D2638/D/97. (Kilmorey Papers, 2007)

This is a photograph of a young Nellie.