Social Victorians/People/Leigh

From Wikiversity
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Also Known As[edit | edit source]

  • Family name: Leigh
  • Madame de Falbe
  • Mr. J. B. Leigh (John Blundell Leigh)

Acquaintances, Friends and Enemies[edit | edit source]

Organizations[edit | edit source]

  • Eleanor Leigh de Falbe: the British Royal family and the Prince of Wales in particular[1]
  • Henry Gerard Leigh: 1st Life Guards

Timeline[edit | edit source]

1855 September 25, Henry Blundell Leigh and Henrietta Dorothy Hawkes married.[2]

1883, Eleanor Louisa Hawkes Leigh remarried, to Christian Frederick de Falbe, who was Danish ambassador to the U.K.

1886 October 25, Captain Henry Gerard Leigh and Marion Lindsay Antrobus married.[3]

1887 June 14, John Blundell Leigh and Lady Rose Nevill married.[4]

1889, John Blundell Leigh and Lady Rose Nevill divorced.[4]

1891 December 3, Prince Albert proposed to Victoria Mary of Teck at Luton Hoo, owned by Eleanor Leigh de Falbe.[1]

1897 July 2, Friday, Captain Gerard Leigh and Mrs. Marion Leigh attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House, as did Lady Rose and J. B. Leigh. (Mrs. Marion Leigh is #308 on the list of people who were present; Captain Gerard Leigh is #570; Lady Rose Leigh is #337; John Blundell Leigh is #602.)

1899 November 29, Lady Rose Leigh and Kenelm Charles Edward Pepys, 4th Earl of Cottenham married.[4]

Costume at the Duchess of Devonshire's 2 July 1897 Fancy-dress Ball[edit | edit source]

Black-and-white photograph of a seated woman richly dressed in an historical costume
Mrs Gerard Leigh in costume as a Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Genoa XVII century. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Mrs. Marion Leigh and Captain Gerard Leigh[edit | edit source]

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Mrs. Marion Leigh was dressed as Lucrezia de Rossi in the 17th-century procession.[5] The Gentlewoman says her costume was based on an "old picture" and she was wearing "yellow satin, embroidered petticoat with diamonds; large collar with point lace, bows of purple velvet."[6]:p. 36, Col. 2b

Alexander Bassano's portrait of "Mrs Gerard Leigh as a Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Genoa XVII century" in costume is photogravure #59 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery.[7] The printing on the portrait says, "Mrs Gerard Leigh as a Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Genoa XVII century," with a Long S in Duchess.[8]

Her costume in the portrait looks more 17th century than 15th century or very early 16th century, which was when the famous Lucrezia Tornabuoni (22 June 1427 – 25 March 1482)[9] or Lucrezia Borgia (18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519)[10] who were both from Rossi, lived.

Captain Gerard Leigh attended with Mrs. Marion Leigh,[11][5] as a member of the Life Guard, time of Charles II, wearing a "scarlet tunic trimmed gold; blue silk sash; leather breeches; high boots; hat and wig of the period."[6]:p. 34, Col. 3a

Lady Rose and John Blundell Leigh[edit | edit source]

Black-and-white photograph of a standing woman richly dressed in an historical costume
Lady Rose Leigh in costume as Duchesse de Villars from the time of Louis XV. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Lady Rose Leigh and her husband John Blundell Leigh also attended.

  • Lady Rose Leigh was "very beautiful"; she, "as the Duchess of Villars, was in an ivory satin gown enriched with gold embroidery and draped with a scarf of old Louis XV. Rose du Barry brocade. Some fine lace and jewels and little Pompadour roses in the hair completed the successful toilet."[12]:p. 6, Col. 1a
  • Lady Rose Leigh was dressed as Duchesse de Villars in the Quadrille of the Louis XV. and Louis XVI. Period.[5]
  • "Lady Rose Leigh, as the Duchesse de Villars, was in an ivory satin gown enriched with gold embroidery, and draped with a scarf of old Louis XV. rose Du Barry brocade. Some fine lace and jewels and Pompadour roses in the hair completed the successful toilet."[13]:p. 3, Col. 3c
  • "Among these [in the Countess of Warwick's Marie Antoinette quadrille] Lady Rose Leigh ... looked very beautiful. [She], as the Duchess de Villiers, was in an ivory satin gown enriched with gold embroidery, and draped with a scarf of old Louis XV. Rose du Barry brocade. Some fine lace and jewels and little pompadour roses in the hair completed the successful toilet."[14]:p. 5, Col. 9c
  • "The Duchesse de Villars, as represented by Lady Rose Leigh, wore a long pointed bodice and full skirt in ivory satin, the bodice having bell sleeves outlined in Louis XV. embroidery with gold sequins and bullion thread intermixed with rose-tinted flowers. A Brussels lace bertha was caught up with diamond ornaments, and an antique scarf of rose du Barry brocade was suspended by old diamond buckles from the right shoulder and draped to the left arm, hanging in long ends on to the skirt. A small cluster of roses fastened the lace on one aide of the bodice; the hair was worn powdered, with Pompadour roses forming a small wreath."[15]

Lafayette's portrait of "Rose Pepys (née Nevill), Countess of Cottenham as Duchesse de Villars from the time of Louis XV" in costume is photogravure #249 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery.[7] The printing on the portrait says, "Lady Rose Leigh as Duchesse de Villars time of Louis XV," with a Long S in Duchess.[16]

Mr. J. B. (John Blundell) Leigh was dressed as Sir Tristram in the Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur procession.[11]

Demographics[edit | edit source]

  • Nationality:

Residences[edit | edit source]

  • Luton Hoo Park, Bedfordshire (1848–)[1]

Family[edit | edit source]

  • Eleanor Louisa Hawkes (–1899)
  • [1st husband?]
  • John Gerard Leigh (1821-1875)
  • Christian Frederick de Falbe (1828-1896)


  • Henry Blundell Leigh (2 May 1823 – 19 August 1875)[17]
  • Henrietta Dorothy Hawkes ( – 22 November 1895)[2]
  1. Evelyn Henrietta Leigh ( – 23 January 1939)
  2. Alice Anna Leigh ( – 20 March 1932)
  3. Captain Henry Gerard Leigh (September 1856 – 7 January 1900)
  4. John Blundell Leigh (13 December 1858 – 27 July 1931)
  5. Richard Cecil Leigh (1866 – 1931)


  • Henry Gerard Leigh (September 1856 – 7 January 1900)[18]
  • Marion Lindsay Antrobus Leigh (– 27 December 1927)[3]
  1. Lt.-Col. John Cecil Gerard Leigh (21 December 1889 – 1963)
  2. Katherine Dorothy Gerard Leigh (5 February 1893 – 16 February 1915)
  3. Diana Helena Leigh (1896 – 29 March 1966)


  • John Blundell Leigh (13 December 1858 – 27 July 1931)[19]
  • Lady Rose Nevill (7 December 1866 – 2 May 1913)[4]
  1. Honor Dorothy Leigh (1892 – 25 December 1982)

Questions and Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. Mystery: Not completely positive who Captain Gerard or Gerald Leigh was; this represents guessing based on Madame de Falbe's history. Captain Henry Gerard Leigh was the nephew of her second husband, according to the Wikipedia article on Luton Hoo.[1]
  2. Her name is spelled Mrs. Gerard Leigh according to the Morning Post[5] and the Times[11] as well as the National Portrait Gallery; she is Mrs. Gerald Leigh according to another place in the Times.[11]

Footnotes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Luton Hoo". Wikipedia. 2021-03-08. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luton_Hoo&oldid=1010988118. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Henrietta Dorothy Hawkes." "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Marion Lindsay Antrobus." "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Lady Rose Nevill." "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Fancy Dress Ball at Devonshire House." Morning Post Saturday 3 July 1897: 7 [of 12], Col. 4a–8 Col. 2b. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18970703/054/0007.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 “The Duchess of Devonshire’s Ball.” The Gentlewoman 10 July 1897 Saturday: 32–42 [of 76], Cols. 1a–3c [of 3]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003340/18970710/155/0032.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball (1897): photogravures by Walker & Boutall after various photographers." 1899. National Portrait Gallery https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait-list.php?set=515.
  8. ↑ "Mrs Gerard Leigh as a Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Genoa XVII century." Diamond Jubilee Fancy Dress Ball. National Portrait Gallery https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw158413/Mrs-Gerard-Leigh-as-a-Lady-in-Waiting-to-the-Duchess-of-Genoa-XVII-century.
  9. ↑ "Lucrezia Tornabuoni". Wikipedia. 2021-08-24. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucrezia_Tornabuoni&oldid=1040500035.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucrezia_Tornabuoni.
  10. ↑ "Lucrezia Borgia". Wikipedia. 2021-11-19. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucrezia_Borgia&oldid=1055978717.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucrezia_Borgia.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Ball at Devonshire House." The Times Saturday 3 July 1897: 12, Cols. 1a–4c The Times Digital Archive. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.
  12. ↑ "Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Ball. A Brilliant Spectacle. Some of the Dresses." London Daily News Saturday 3 July 1897: 5 [of 10], Col. 6a–6, Col. 1b. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000051/18970703/024/0005 and https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000051/18970703/024/0006.
  13. ↑ “The Ball at Devonshire House. Magnificent Spectacle. Description of the Dresses.” London Evening Standard 3 July 1897 Saturday: 3 [of 12], Cols. 1a–5b [of 7]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000183/18970703/015/0004.
  14. ↑ "The Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Dress Ball. Special Telegram." Belfast News-Letter Saturday 03 July 1897: 5 [of 8], Col. 9c [of 9]–6, Col. 1a. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000038/18970703/015/0005.
  15. ↑ “Fancy Dress.” The Queen 31 July 1897, Saturday: 43 [of 84], Col. 3c [of 3]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002627/18970731/280/0043.
  16. ↑ "Lady Rose Leigh as Duchesse de Villars." Diamond Jubilee Fancy Dress Ball. National Portrait Gallery https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw158612/Rose-Pepys-ne-Nevill-Countess-of-Cottenham-as-Duchesse-de-Villars-from-the-time-of-Louis-XV.
  17. ↑ "Henry Blundell Leigh." "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  18. ↑ "Captain Henry Gerard Leigh." "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  19. ↑ "John Blundell Leigh." "Person Page". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Social_Victorians/People/Leigh&oldid=2591496"