Lady Lettice Mildred Mary Ashley-Cooper OStJ (12 February 1911 – 24 November 1990) was a British aristocrat, socialite, and airwoman. One of the Bright Young Things of the 1920s,[1] she became a Flight Officer of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during World War II.[2]
Biography
editLady Lettice Mildred Mary Ashley-Cooper was born in Wimbledon, London in 1911,[3][4] the daughter of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of Shaftesbury and Constance Sibell Grosvenor.[4]
In 1936, her name was linked with the name of Edward VIII as a possible future wife; the King had declared that the future queen had to be "English, good, beautiful and a sportswoman", and the newspaper identified four names: Lady Anne Hope, daughter of the viceroy of India; Lady Mary Grosvenor, daughter of the Duke of Westminster; Lady Angela Montagu-Douglas-Scott, sister of the Duchess of Gloucester; and Lady Lettice Ashley-Cooper.[5]
During World War II, she was a Flight Officer of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, promoted to Corporal in charge of the Orderly Room.[2][6]
She was appointed Officer of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (O.St.J.).[4]
In 1974, she wrote Two 17th Century Dorset Inventories and in 1986 Unusual Behaviour, published by Gollancz.
References
edit- ^ "Amusing Turns Brighten Coming-of-Age Party - 16 Jul 1927, Sat • Page 33". The Winnipeg Tribune: 33. 1927. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Lady Lettice Mildred Mary Ashley-Cooper". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates, 1910–1950
- ^ a b c Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003
- ^ "Names Linked with King - 13 Apr 1936, Mon • Page 4". Des Moines Tribune: 4. 1936. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ "Memories of the Phoney War-OCTOBER 1939 — JUNE 1940". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2018.