Social Victorians/People/Mildred Grenfell

Also Known As

• Family name: Grenfell
• The family of William Henry Grenfell, 1st and last Baron Desborough also exists, and the baron and baroness attended the Duchess of Devonshire's 1897 fancy-dress ball.

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Residences

• Brandon Hall, Suffolk

Family

• Charles Seymour Grenfell (14 September 1839 – 11 January 1924)
• Elizabeth Graham ( – 6 October 1930)

1. Cecily Mary Grenfell ( – 30 January 1936)
2. Alice Lilian Grenfell ( – 22 March 1960)
3. Mildred Louisa Grenfell ( – 5 February 1953)
4. Riversdale Francis John Grenfell (20 August 1864 – 1 December 1954)

• Mildred Louisa Grenfell ( – 5 February 1953)
• Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (10 March 1868 – 15 February 1960)

1. Lt.-Col. Sir Edmond Joly de Lotbinière ()
2. Seymour Joly de Lotbinière ()

Timeline

1897 July 2, Mildred Grenfell attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House, accompanying the Duchess of Portland.

1902 March 31, Mildred Grenfell and Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière married.

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

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Mildred Grenfell (at 30) accompanied the Duchess of Portland in the 17th-century Procession and was dressed as Bianca di Piacoma.

• Winifred, Duchess of Portland "was accompanied by Miss Wildred Grenfell, as Bianca di Piacoma, in a white satin skirt embroidered with pearls, and train of green brocaded silk."
• "Miss Mildred Grenfell [was dressed] as Bianca di Piacoma, in a white satin skirt embroidered with pearls, and train of green brocaded silk."
• "The Duchess [of Portland] was accompanied by Miss Mildred Grenfell as Bianca di Piacoma, whose skirt was of a white satin embroidered with pearls, and train of green brocaded silk.

In the description of the processions, the Morning Post story misspells her name as Bianci. She accompanied Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland and was in the Venetian quadrille or 17th-century procession.

Questions and Notes

1. Mildren Grenfell seems to have been a bridesmaid for Constance Markievicz at her wedding.
2. The Grenfells are connected to the Cavendish-Bentincks, the family name of the Duke of Portland: Cecily Mary Grenfell married Charles Cavendish-Bentinck on 26 or 27 February 1897, before the ball.