Social Victorians/People/Montagu

Also Known As

• Family name: Montagu
• Montagu Douglas Scott, the family name of the Duke of Bucchleuch
• Montagu, family name of the Duke of Manchester
• Montagu, family name of the Earl of Sandwich
• Lady Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Stanley
• Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu was also at the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball.

Timeline

1897 July 2, Friday, Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House.

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

Besides Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu, a number of Montagus attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball:

1. Lord Charles Montagu (at 161)
2. Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Stanley (at 157)
3. Edward Stanley (at 188)
4. Lady Evelyn Alington (at 41)
5. Humphrey Sturt (at 120)
6. Mildred Cadogan, Viscountess Chelsea (at 162), a Lady Montagu after 1930

Portrait of Laura, Laurentian Library, Florence

Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu

Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu in costume as Laura de Sade, A.D. 1300. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu (at 292) was dressed as Laura in the Italian procession, escorted by Giles Fox-Strangways, Lord Stavordale as Petrarch (at 78). (This is not Alice Maude Olivia Montagu, who had married Edward Stanley in 1889 and was a Stanley in 1897.)

Lady Alice Montagu "came out" at this ball: this was her debutante ball. About 6 months later, the Cheltenham Looker-On says, "The Duchess of Manchester will not present her pretty daughter, who came out at the famous Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball, until a later Drawing Room than those in February and early in March." Lady Alice Montagu's original costume (she is called Juliet in this piece) appeared in the Drury Lane production of The White Heather.

Lafayette's portrait of "Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu as Laura de Sade, A.D. 1300" in costume is photogravure #191 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Lady Alice Montagu as Laure de Sada [sic], A.D. 1300."

Laura de Sade or Sada may be Laura de Noves (1310–1348), who was married to Count Hugues de Sade and may have been the Laura of Petrarch's poetry. Francesco Petrarca (20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374) wrote much more than sonnets, not all of which was about Laura.

A portrait of the historical person Laura de Noves is at right. If Lady Alice Montagu had this specific historical person in mind, then the "A.D. 1300" is approximate. She may, however, have just meant the idealized Laura of love poetry; non-biographical versions of both Laura and Petrarch have been depicted many times over the centuries in art that does not reference a particular woman (or, often, man).

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Family

• María Consuelo Iznaga y Clement (1853 – 20 November 1909), née Doña María Consuelo Iznaga y Clement
• George Victor Drogo Montagu, 8th Duke of Manchester (17 June 1853 – 18 August 1892)

1. William Angus Drogo Montagu, 9th Duke of Manchester (3 March 1877 – 9 February 1947)
2. Jacqueline Mary Alva Montagu (27 November 1879 – 15 March 1895)
3. Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu (27 November 1879 – 10 January 1900)

Questions and Notes

1. Burke's Peerage spells her name Lady Alice Aleanor Louise Montagu, according to ThePeerage.com, and some Lady Eleanor Louise Montagu; autocorrect is quite insistent about Eleanor, so possibly that is an error. The National Portrait Gallery, however, has her name as Lady Alice Eleanor.
2. Alice Montagu Stanley (at 157) was dressed as Diana, not Laura, so a different person.