Social Victorians/People/Gwladys Robinson

Also Known As

• Family name: Robinson
• Constance Gwladys Herbert Robinson
• Gwladys de Grey (1885–1909)
• Gwladys Robinson, Countess de Grey (1885–1909)
• Gwladys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon (9 July 1909)
• Countess of Lonsdale (6 July 1878 – )

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Family

• St George Henry Lowther, 4th Earl of Lonsdale

1. Lady Gladys Mary Juliet Lowther (9 April 1881 – 23 September 1965)

• Frederick Oliver Robinson (29 January 1852 – 23 September 1923) was Earl de Grey (1871–1909)
• Constance Gwladys Herbert Robinson (22 or 24 April 1859 – 28 October 1917), called Gwladys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon
• Edith (servant; relationship with Frederick Robinson and paternity of her children theorized)

1. Freda
2. Frederick

(Frederick Oliver Robinson married the widowed Constance Gwladys Herbert Lowther, and Edith, a servant at the estate, claimed that Robinson was the father of her children.)

Acquaintances, Friends and Enemies

Friends

• Oscar Wilde dedicated A Woman of No Importance to her ("Gwladys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon").
• Nellie Melba
• Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris
• Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev
• Vaslav Nijinsky

Timeline

1862 May 30, Gwladys Herbert was granted the rank of an earl's daughter.

1878 July 6 or 10, Gwladys Herbert and St. George Lowther, 4th Earl of Lonsdale, married.

1885 May 7, Gwladys Herbert Lowther married Frederick Robinson, Earl de Grey.

1897 July 2, Friday, Gwladys, Countess de Grey attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House.

1909 July 6, Frederick Oliver Robinson, who had been Earl de Grey, became the Marquess of Ripon.

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

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, accompanied by a real Ethiopian or Nubian attendant, Gwladys Robinson, Countess de Grey (at 135) was Cleopatra, Lysistrate, or (at least in June) Zenobia. She walked in the Duchess group in the "Oriental" Procession and sat at Table 2. She had "a great diamond bird in her hair and a golden bird in her hand" and was dressed as Cleopatra, Lysistrate or Zenobia, perhaps:

• Lady de Grey was "Cleopatra, [with] a real Ethiopian attendant."
• "The manteau was of crepon de chine, covered with embroidered gauze and applique of coloured satin, and studded with jewels; a ceinture and pendent were of white satin, with cerise applique and embroidery, and she wore a jewelled headdress, she was Lysistrate."
• The Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald, on 12 June 1897, says that Lady de Grey was "going as Zenobia, and is getting her dress from Doucet; since the Duchess of Devonshire was dressed as Zenobia, perhaps Lady de Grey decided against that, if she could have known?
• The Carlisle Patriot provides more detail than any other paper (perhaps because the de Greys were local?): "The Orientals were headed by Lady de Grey in magnificent attire, rich with gems and gold and silver, a great diamond bird in her hair and a golden bird in her hand. Her train was borne by a Nubian in gorgeous and correct dress."

W. & D. Downey's portrait of "Gwladys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon when Countess de Grey as Cleopatra" in costume is #281 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Countess de Grey as Cleopatra," with a Long S in Countess.

Frederick Oliver Robinson, Earl de Grey (at 655) also attended. Walery's portrait of "Frederick Oliver Robinson, 2nd Marquess of Ripon when Earl de Grey as Admiral Coligny" in costume is #213 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Earl de Grey as Admiral Coligny."