Social Victorians/People/Shrewsbury

Also Known As

• Family name: Chetwynd-Talbot
• Earl of Shrewsbury (England peerage)
  • Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury (11 May 1877 [he was 16] – 7 May 1921)
• Countess of Shrewsbury
  • Ellen Mary Palmer-Morewood Chetwynd-Talbot (21 June 1882 –)
• Earl of Waterford
• Earl Talbot (Peerage of Great Britain)
  • Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury (1849 – 1858)
• Viscount Ingestre
  • Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot (1868–1877)
  • Charles John Alton Chetwynd-Talbot (1882? – )
• Baron Dynevor (Peerage of Great Britain)
  • Arthur de Cardonnel FitzUryan Rice, 6th Baron Dynevor (13 August 1878 – 8 June 1911)
• Lord Talbot is associated with a different family with a different surname: FitzAlan-Howard

Timeline

1880 January, Lily Langtry and Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, Lord Shrewsbury planned to run away together, but he began a relationship with Ellen Palmer-Morewood, who was married.

1882 June 21, Charles Chetwynd-Talbot and Ellen Mary Palmer-Morewood Mundy married, less than 3 months before the birth of their son Charles John Alton Chetwynd-Talbot, on 8 September 1882.

1882 September 8, Charles John Alton Chetwynd-Talbot was born.

1897 July 2, Friday, Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House, as did Hon. Sir Reginald Chetwynd-Talbot, called General Talbot in the newspaper, and his wife, Margaret Chetwynd-Talbot; and Sir Patrick Chetwynd-Talbot, called Colonel Talbot, and probably his wife, Lady Emma Chetwynd-Talbot. (Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury is #101 on the list of people who attended; Hon. Sir Reginald Chetwynd-Talbot is #451; the Hon. Mrs. Margaret Chetwynd-Talbot is #485; Colonel Patrick Talbot is #589; Lady Emma Chetwynd-Talbot is #590.)

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

Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury in costume as a member of the Court of Catherine II of Russia. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Charles Earl of Shrewsbury

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury was either a Gentleman of the Court of the Empress Catherine II of Russia or a Gentleman of the Court of Lois XV (probably the former, which is what the commemorative album at the National Portrait Gallery says).

Lafayette's portrait of "Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury as a member of the Court of Catherine II of Russia" in costume is photogravure #71 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "The Earl of Shrewsbury as a member of the Court of Catherine II of Russia," with a Long S in Russia.

The Earl of Shrewsbury's original costume (that of a "Courtier of Louis XV." according to the London Daily News) appeared in the Drury Lane production of The White Heather.

Newspaper Accounts of His Costume

• The Earl of Shrewsbury is listed among the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court in the procession of the Empress Catherine II of Russia in the Times and the Morning Post.

• The Morning Post also says he was dressed as a "Gentleman of the Court of Louis XV., in blue velvet coat, very handsomely embroidered in gold, primrose satin vest embroidered to match, blue velvet breeches."
• "The Earl of Shrewsbury, as a Gentleman of the Court of Louis XV., was in blue velvet coat embroidered in gold, primrose satin vest embroidered to match, and blue breeches."
• "the Earl of Shrewsbury wore a blue velvet Louis XV. dress and primrose satin vest, both embroidered in gold."
• "The Earl of Shrewsbury (gentleman of the Court of Louis XV.), blue velvet coat embroidered in gold; embroidered primrose satin vest; blue velvet breeches."

Commentary on the Earl of Shrewsbury's Costume

• The curly wig is unusual, but the black ribbon and bag for the hair gathered at the back of the neck are appropriate for the mid to late 18th century.
• He is carrying what looks like a cocked tricorn hat that has dark plumes — probably ostrich — on top between the crown and the brim. Further decoration includes what looks like two rows of gold braid braid attached to the tip of the brim and more gold brain running from the brim to the crown on the cocked side of the hat with a clump of gathered or looped fabric or ribbon.
• He may be wearing an earring.
• The thick and full mustache is Victorian, contrasting strikingly with the 18th-century costume.
• The embroidery on the coat looks 3-dimensional it is so thick, rather than flat, as one would expect embroidery to look.
• The sleeve cuff, which looks a little like a gauntlet, seems to have similar very thick embroidery on the outside.
• His jabot has lace and a small ornament like a pin. The lace edgings of his shirt are gathered around his wrists and pulled out over his hands in what looks like two layers of lace.
• His vest appears to be long, coming down halfway to his knees. It also is heavily embroidered.
• The ends of the sash around his waist hang below the coat and his knees.
• What looks like the hilt of his sword is probably not his sword, as it is on top of his coat. The only way that could be part of his sword is if the sword goes through a slit in the coat, completely unlikely for a real 18th-century coat. It could also be a large, light-colored decoration on his hat. The sword blade appears to be under the coat, as would be appropriate.
• The breeches are tight fitting and have trim just below the knee.
• The stockings are silk and well fitted.
• Square-toed shoes with large buckles; the tongue is large and gathered at the top of the buckle.

Gen. Reginald and the Hon. Mrs. Talbot

Margaret Jane (née Stuart-Wortley), Lady Talbot in costume as a Valkyrie. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Cover Page for Schott's Piano Score for Die Walküre, 1899

General Talbot, probably Hon. Sir Reginald Arthur James Chetwynd-Talbot, was accompanied by an Hon. Mrs. Talbot, Margaret Jane Stuart-Wortley Chetwynd-Talbot.

Alexander Bassano's portrait (left) of "Margaret Jane (née Stuart-Wortley), Lady Talbot as a Valkyrie" in costume is photogravure #174 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "The Hon. Mrs. Reginald Talbot as a Valkyrie."

The printing on the portrait calls her Lady Talbot.

The Valkyrie

While the mythological characters of the Valkyrie exist outside Richard Wagner's Die Walküre, Margaret Talbot's costume looks like it is based on how the Valkyrie were dressed in 19th-century productions of the opera. Die Walküre premiered in 1870 and then appeared in the first production of the Ring cycle at Bayreuth in 1876, which was revived at Bayreuth in 1896. By the end of the century, the opera — either alone or as part of the Ring cycle — was in frequent performance around the world, mostly preserving the staging, scenery and costumes of the Bayreuth productions, which had been approved by Wagner. Because of this consistency in the costuming of the Valkyrie, the 1899 cover for the piano score (right) is probably not very far from how many Victorians would have imagined one of the Valkyrie.

The 9th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica does not have an entry on the Valkyrie or mention them in any article, suggesting that the mythological origins would not have been widely known by the non-scholarly audience. Wagner's characterization, then, would have been what most people knew.

Margaret Talbot's Costume

A single description of Margaret Talbot's costume was printed in the papers, which says she was Brünnheld; the portrait in the commemorative album, however, says that she was dressed as a Valkyrie in a costume very consistent with surviving photographs of how the Valkyrie were costumed generally in this time, including the headdress, shield and spear.

• "Very striking was the "Brünnheld" of the Hon. Mrs. Talbot, who wore armour, a white robe, red velvet cloak, helmet, with owl's feathers, and a large shield and spear."

Commentary on Margaret Talbot's Costume

Much of Margaret Talbot's costume is obviously based on the operatic designs for the Valkyrie, but her corseted torso and long sleeves look like a personal — and very conservative — style.

• She is wearing a traditional headdress with owl's wings standing up, fixed to the sides of the bottom edge of the helmet that goes around her head over her forehead. The helmet is tiny and decorated with beads or jewels.
• Her hair is tied behind her neck and flows down the back of her costume.
• The high neck includes what looks like a choker necklace of jewels and beads. She is wearing a ring on the ring finger of her right hand and may be wearing small earrings.
• The bodice is encrusted with jewels or beads, comes to a very Victorian point in front, following the line of her corset.
• The bodice may have been made to suggest highly stylized armor.
• The hanging decorations on the skirt and apparently coming from under the bodice are typical of Valkyrie costumes of this time. These hanging tabs might be ribbon, braid or something heavier.
• What might be a highly stylized belt with what looks like a buckle defines the bottom of the bodice. it appears to be made of something thicker than the fabric of the dress and decorated with something 3-dimensional like braid, pearls or buttons.
• Unusual for the Valkyrie in the 19th-century opera, Margaret Talbot's arms are covered. The sleeves are long enough to cover her hands down to the knuckles.
• Unusual for late-19th-century dresses with long sleeves, the sleeves are made of a different fabric and color than the bodice and skirt, more reflective even than the bodice. The surface is not smooth — it probably is decorated with shiny jewels, beads and perhaps sequins.
• The white sleeveless overdress falls from the shoulder to the floor and is made of a light fabric, possibly Jacquard woven. It is impossible to tell if the overdress is attached to the bodice at the armscye (arm hole).
• Margaret Talbot's dark train covering the top of the sleeveless overdress appears to be attached at the back of the neck. (The report of her costume in the Westminster Gazette calls it a "red velvet cloak.")
• She is carrying a spear that is at least 7 feet tall with decorative beads or jewels and a large point. She has a very large (3 feet tall?) shield. These accessories are very similar to what the Valkyrie are carrying in 19th-century images of the opera.

Reginald Talbot, by Leslie Ward, Vanity Fair 22 July 1897. The caption says, "Aldershot Cavalry."

Reginald Talbot's Costume

"General the Hon. R. Talbot" wore a "uniform of his own regiment, time of Waterloo." He was in the Household Regiment, in the British Army, and his regiment was the 1st Regiment of Life Guards. The Household Cavalry took part in the Battle of Waterloo, which took place on Sunday, 18 June 1815.

The only newspaper report was that of the Gentlewoman, and no photograph of him in his costume exists. The uniform worn by the 1st Life Guards (shown in the discussion of the Household Cavalry) was not identical to the late-19th-century uniform seen in the "Spy" (Leslie Ward) cartoon (right), which was published in Vanity Fair immediately after the ball, on 22 July 1897:

• The 1815 helmet (as shown in the Household Cavalry page) was designed to look like a Roman helmet. The 1897 helmet is a bicorne (two "cocks" of the brim at the sides and attached to the crown, flattening the brim in front and back) with a distinctive general officer's plume on top.
• The breeches in 1815 were grey with a red stripe down the outside of the leg; the breeches in the 1897 image appear to be black. The red stripe (in both images) may extend under the arch of the foot (or boot) to keep the pants from riding up.
• The 1897 riding boots have spurs and very pointed toes.
• One more formal version of the Household Cavalry uniform had a frock coat, which we see Talbot wearing in the Spy cartoon. They would not have worn this version of the uniform in battle.
• The 1815 tunic was red with a single white baldric crossing the chest from the left shoulder to the waist on the right.
• The gloves in both images are of white leather and have gauntlets.

Other Talbots

Colonel Talbot (at 589) may have been Sir Wellington Patrick Manvers Chetwynd-Talbot, called Patrick Talbot; he was apparently accompanied by a Mrs. Talbot, who would have been Lady Emma Chetwynd-Talbot (at 590).

Edmund Talbot (at 123) and his wife, probably, also attended, but they are Talbots rather than Cheywynd-Talbots.

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Residences

• Ingestre Hall, near Stafford, Staffordshire

Family

• Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury (8 November 1803 – 4 June 1868)
• Lady Sarah Elizabeth Beresford (10 November 1807 – 13 October 1884)

1. Charles John Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury (13 April 1830 – 11 May 1877)
2. Lady Victoria Susan Chetwynd-Talbot (27 February 1831 – 8 June 1856)
3. Admiral Hon. Walter Cecil Carpenter (27 March 1834 – 13 May 1904)
4. Lady Constance Harriet Mahonesa Chetwynd-Talbot (15 June 1836 – 10 October 1901)
5. Lady Gertrude Frances Chetwynd-Talbot (21 March 1840 – 30 September 1906)
6. Hon. Sir Reginald Arthur James Chetwynd-Talbot (11 July 1841 – 15 January 1929)
7. Lady Adelaide Chetwynd-Talbot (8 July 1844 – 16 March 1917)
8. Hon. Alfred Chetwynd-Talbot (14 September 1848 – 9 May 1913)

• Charles John Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury (13 April 1830 – 11 May 1877)
• Anna Theresa Cockerell (20 February 1836 – 29 July 1912)

1. Lady Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd-Talbot ( – 16 March 1919)
2. Lady Guendolen Theresa Chetwynd-Talbot ( – 20 January 1937)
3. Lady Muriel Frances Louisa Chetwynd-Talbot (c 1860 – 2 March 1925)
4. Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury (13 November 1860 – 7 May 1921)

• Ellen Mary Palmer-Morewood Mundy Chetwynd-Talbot ( – 23 August 1940)
• Alfred Edward Miller Mundy (28 November 1849 – 15 April 1920)

1. Evelyn Hester Mundy ( – 16 June 1947)

• Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury (13 November 1860 – 7 May 1921)

1. Charles John Alton Chetwynd-Talbot, Viscount Ingestre (8 September 1882 – 8 January 1915)
2. Nellie Viola Castlia Florence Chetwynd-Talbot (3 July 1885 – 23 July 1951)

• Hon. Sir Reginald Arthur James Chetwynd-Talbot (11 July 1841 – 15 January 1929)
• Margaret Jane Stuart-Wortley ( – 6 October 1937)

• Sir Patrick (Wellington Patrick Manvers) Chetwynd-Talbot (12 December 1817 – 23 September 1898)
• Lady Emma Charlotte Stanley ( – 23 August 1928)

1. Charles Stanley Chetwynd-Talbot (31 January 1862 – 20 October 1890)
2. Cecil Emma Chetwynd-Talbot (6 April 1864 – 26 January 1934)
3. Edith Constance Louisa Chetwynd-Talbot (24 June 1865 – 11 November 1941)
4. Lt.-Col. Frederick Gilbert Chetwynd-Talbot (1 May 1868 – 25 December 1948)
5. Walter Stanley Chetwynd-Talbot (4 November 1869 – 3 July 1935)
6. Henry Arthur Chetwynd-Talbot (23 August 1872 – 15 July 1920)
7. Gilbert Edward Chetwynd-Talbot (4 September 1876 – 26 March 1950)
8. Helen Ivory Chetwynd-Talbot (14 April 1880 – 10 May 1956)

Questions and Notes

1. Ellen Mary Palmer-Morewood Mundy Chetwynd-Talbot was not an aristocrat, and she was older than Charles Chetwynd-Talbot and divorced with one daughter before they married, which they did less than 3 months before Charles John Alton Chetwynd-Talbot was born. She is not listed as having attended the Duchess of Devonshire's ball in 1897.
2. I believe that "General Talbot" is likely to be Hon. Sir Reginald Arthur James Chetwynd-Talbot because he was a Conservative Member of Parliament, he was knighted and had command of large sectors of the British army.
3. I believe that "Colonel Talbot" may have been Sir Wellington Patrick Manvers Chetwynd-Talbot because he was Serjeant at Arms of the House of Lords 1858–1898, ending with his death. He was a brother of Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury.
4. Patrick (Wellington Patrick Manvers) Chetwynd-Talbot was the son of Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 2nd Earl Talbot of Hensol (25 April 1777–10 January 1849) and Frances Thomasine Lambart (before 1785 – 30 December 1819).