Charlotte Villiers, Countess of Clarendon (2 October 1721 – 3 September 1790),[1] formerly Lady Charlotte Capell, was the wife of Thomas Villiers, the son of William Villiers, 2nd Earl of Jersey. Thomas would later be raised to the peerage as Baron Hyde and subsequently as Earl of Clarendon, both titles that originated from his wife's family.[2]
Charlotte was the daughter of William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex, and his wife, Jane Hyde. They were married on 30 March 1752 and had four children:
- Thomas Villiers, 2nd Earl of Clarendon (25 December 1753 – 7 March 1824).
- John Villiers, 3rd Earl of Clarendon (14 November 1757 – 22 December 1838).
- George Villiers (23 November 1759 – 21 March 1827). Father of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon.
- Lady Charlotte Barbara Villiers (27 March 1761 – 9 April 1810).
From 1756, when her husband acquired the barony, she was known as Lady Hyde of Hindon, and from 1776, when the earldom of Clarendon was revived for him, she became Countess of Clarendon. She was taken ill and died at Stony Stratford, aged 68, and was buried at St Mary's Church, Watford, along with other members of the Capell family.[3]
Robert Grimston, 1st Baron Grimston of Westbury's daughter, the Hon. Rosemary Sybella Violet Grimston, married the actor Charles Edward Underdown, on the 10th. February 1953. Charles Edward Underdown and Rosemary Grimston were sixth cousins, through their common ancestors Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon, and Lady Charlotte Capell, according to Burke's Peerage, (Volume 2, page 1685, 107th. edition,
References edit
- ^ G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 270.
- ^ . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
- ^ Arthur Jones (1993). Hertfordshire 1731-1800 as Recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. pp. 223–. ISBN 978-0-901354-73-0.