Social Victorians/People/Ormonde

Also Known As

• Family name: Butler
• Marquess of Ormonde

Timeline

1897 July 2, Friday, Elizabeth Grosvenor Butler, Marchioness of Ormonde and her daughters Beatrice and Constance Butler attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House. (Elizabeth, Marchioness of Ormonde is #373 on the list of people who attended; Beatrice Butler is #45; Constance Butler is #374.)

1901 February 19, Lady Beatrice Butler and Sir Reginald Pole-Carew married.

Costume at the Duchess of Devonshire's 2 July 1897 Fancy-dress Ball

Elizabeth Butler, Marchioness of Ormonde

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Elizabeth Butler, Marchioness of Ormonde was dressed as Guinevere, and, according to the Times, leading the 21-person procession of Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur. Especially if she was the leader of the procession, it is surprising that no newspaper accounts exist of her costume, the Lafayette archive does not include photographs of her in costume, and her portrait does not appear in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. Another woman, lower ranking in the aristocracy — Corisande, Baroness Rodney — was also dressed as Guinevere and her husband George, Baron Rodney was dressed as King Arthur. The Rodneys do have portraits in the album, and his costume, at least, is described in the London Daily News' report about the ball.

Elizabeth, Marchioness of Ormonde's brothers were present at the ball as well. Lord Arthur Hugh Grosvenor was dressed as King Arthur in the Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur procession, and Lord Gerald Grosvenor was dressed as Sir Launcelot. Perhaps, then, the Times is not wrong when it says she led the procession.

Lady Helen Stewart, as the Archduchess Marie Christine of Austria. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Lady Beatrice Butler

The Times lists Elizabeth, Lady Ormonde and Lady Beatrice Butler together as guests of the ball in its report.

Lady Beatrice Butler was one of the archduchesses — along with with 3 or 4 other young women — in the entourage of the Marchioness of Londonderry, who led the Austrian procession as Marie Theresa, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. These young women were present at the ball as the daughters of Maria Theresa, and the young men dressed as archdukes were present as her sons. Lady Beatrice Butler went as "Archduchess Marie-Karoline in the quadrille of the Austrian Court of Marie Thérèse."

The newspapers report that the archduchesses were all dressed alike, but only one photograph exists of any of these young women in costume — that of Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart (which is shown, right). The newspaper descriptions of and our commentary on her fashion-forward costume are on her page, with her portrait but if, they were indeed dressed identically, then the descriptions apply to all the archduchesses.

Lady Constance Butler

Constance Butler in 1903

Constance Butler was probably dressed as Elaine in the Round Table of King Arthur Procession.

• She is called Elaine in the Round Table procession in the London Daily News.
• "Lady Constance Butler and Miss Chaplin each assumed the character of "Elaine," the former in a white crêpe de chine robe flowing from a band of gold and silver embroidery at the bust, and with long angel sleeves; and the latter in white art silk under chiffon, embroidered in gold, and with a gold girdle."
• The Westminster Gazette says, "Lady Constance Butler and Miss Chaplin were pretty as 'Elaine.'"
• "Lady Constance Butler and Miss Chaplin were both charming 'Elaines' — the former in a white crepe de chine robe, flowing from a band of gold and silver embroidery at the bust, and with long angel sleeves."
• The Times report says she was Lynette in the Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table procession, but it is the only newspaper that does.

The photograph (right) of Lady Constance Butler was the cover of Country Life 31 January 1903.

Demographics

• Nationality: the title is in the Irish peerage.

Residences

• Kilkenny Castle, County Kilkenny, Ireland
• 32 Upper Brook Street, London, leased from the Duke of Westminster (1881–1921)

Family

• James Edward William Theobald Butler, 3rd Marquess of Ormonde (5 October 1844 – 26 October 1919)
• Elizabeth Harriet Grosvenor (11 October 1856 – 25 March 1928)

1. Beatrice Frances Elizabeth Butler (28 December 1876 – 29 February 1952)
2. Constance Mary Butler (26 March 1879 – 20 April 1949)

Archives and Memoirs

1. National Library of Ireland. Collection List A 17: Ormond Family Papers. (MSS 2301-2562 and 11,044-11,073). XII. iii Correspondence to Ormond family from members of the Royal family. Ms. 11,057, No. 2: "Letters to James Edward 3rd Marquess of Ormond from Prince of Wales, 1884-1907, The King 1909, Duke of York 1893, German Emperor 1901, Duke of Connaught 1885-1902, Prince Henry of Prussia 1902, Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck 1896, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg 1889, Prince Henry of Battenburg, Prince Henry of Prussia 1913." (n.p. [94])
2. Butler Family, Marquesses of Ormonde, deeds, family and estate papers, 12th-20th cent, NRA catalogue reference: NRA 11148 Butler; Other reference: See Annual Report 1951-2, 1973-4, 1977; Accessions to Repositories 1978. Email: info@nli.ie. Kildare Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland 2. ARCHON code: 624. [Use National Archives of Ireland instead.]

Notes and Questions

1. James, 3rd Marquess of Ormonde is not mentioned in newspaper reports as having been present at the ball. Did they just miss him? Did he not go? Where was he at this time?
2. Elizabeth (Harriet), Marchioness of Ormonde was a Grosvenor belonging to the family of Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster.