Monica Maurice
This sandbox is in the article namespace. Either move this page into your userspace, or remove the {{User sandbox}} template. Sarah Lennox (18 September 1705 – 25 August 1751) was Duchess of Richmond and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Caroline from 1724 to 1737.
Early life
She was born in The Hague, the eldest daughter of William Cadogan (from 1716 1st Baron Cadogan of Reading and from 1722 1st Earl Cadogan) and his wife, Margaretta Cecilia Munter.[1] She was brought up in a convent and at the age of thirteen was married, on 4 December 1719, to Charles Lennox, Earl of March, at The Hague. The marriage was arranged by both fathers in order to cancel a gambling debt incurred by the Earl of Cadogan; after the marriage the Earl of March embarked on his Grand Tour. On his return in 1722, the earl was reluctant to meet Sarah; he went to the theatre, glimpsed a young woman and asked who she was. 'You must be a stranger in London not to know the toast of the town, the beautiful Lady March', was the reply.[2] in 1723, Charles succeeded to his father's title of Duke of Richmond, whereupon Sarah became Duchess of Richmond. They had a well-publicized happy marriage.
Career as a courtier and philanthropist
Sarah was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to Caroline of Ansbach when Princess of Wales, and remained in post when Caroline became queen consort in 1727.
Sarah was one of the twenty-one 'ladies of quality and distinction' who signed Thomas Coram's first petition, presented to George II in 1735, calling for the foundation of the Founding Hospital. She signed the petition on 22 December 1729[1] and was the first Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen recruited by Coram.[3] Her husband signed the Royal Charter in 1739.[1]
Family
Sarah had twenty-three pregnancies, from which twelve children survived:
- Lady Georgiana Carolina Lennox (27 March 1723 – 24 July 1774), married Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland.
- Lord Charles Lennox (3 September 1724 – 1724), Earl of March.
- Lady Louisa Margaret Lennox (15 November 1725 – May 1728).
- Lady Anne Lennox (27 May 1726 – 1727).
- Lord Charles Lennox (9 September 1730 – November 1730), Earl of March.
- Lady Emilia Mary Lennox (6 October 1731 – 27 March 1814), married first James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster; and secondly William Ogilvie and had issue.
- Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond (22 February 1735 – 29 December 1806).
- Lord George Lennox (29 November 1737 – 25 March 1805), General.
- Lady Margaret Lennox (16 November 1739 – 10 January 1741).
- Lady Louisa Augusta Lennox (24 November 1743 – 1821), married Thomas Connolly but had no issue.
- Lady Sarah Lennox (14 February 1745 – August 1826), married first Sir Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet, and had a daughter (although not with her husband, but with Lord William Gordon); and secondly George Napier.
- Lady Cecilia Lennox (28 February 1750 – 21 November 1769), unmarried.
Popular culture[edit]
In 1999, a six-part BBC miniseries based on the lives of her daughters aired in the U.K. It was called Aristocrats and the Duchess was played by Diane Fletcher.
- ^ a b c Ladies of Quality and Distinction exhibition programme, edited by K. Palmer, The Founding Museum, London, 2018.
- ^ K., Tillyard, S. (1995). Aristocrats : Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox, 1740-1832. London: Vintage. pp. 10–11. ISBN 0099477114. OCLC 32394110.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Gillian., Wagner, (2004). Thomas Coram, Gent., 1668-1751. Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press. p. 89. ISBN 1843830574. OCLC 53361054.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)