+ Patricia Marchioness of Abergavenny, DCVO (1915-2005)
Michael Rhodes
Queen's Household and a lifelong friend of Her Majesty, died 22
February, 2005, at the age of 89.
She served Queen Elizabeth II as an Extra Lady of the Bedchamber,
1960-66; Lady of the Bedchamber, 1966-87, & since 1987 had reverted to
Extra Lady of the Bedchamber.
She was appointed CVO in 1970, and advanced to DCVO in 1981.
She was the former (Mary) Patricia Harrison, born 20 October, 1915, one
of the eight daughters of Lt-Colonel John Fenwick Harrison, of the
Royal Horse Guards, of King's Walden Bury, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire
(neighbours of the Strathmore family); and was a granddaughter
maternally of the 3rd Baron Burnham, DSO (1864-1943).
Her siblings:-
(i) Elizabeth Mary, b. 1911: m. 1st 1931 (dissolved 1950) Major Sir
Arthur W. Milborne-Swinnerton-Pilkington, MC, 13th Baronet. who d.
1952; 2ndly, 1950, Major Patrick H. Burke, of Stackallan House, Co.
Meath. Issue of 1st marriage, 1. Sir Thomas Henry M-S-P, 14th Baronet;
2. Sonia Margery, b. 29 Aug, 1937, m. 30 Oct 1965, Capt Anthony Dyke
Darby (Tim) Rogers, and has issue. 3. Carole Mary, b. 29 Jan 1942, m.
14 June, 1962, James Bowes Daly, son of Maj Dermot Ralph Daly, of
Moreton-in-the-Marsh (see Burke's LG of Ireland), by his first wife the
Hon Agnes Wilson McGowan, daughter of the 1st Baron McGowan. 4. Moira
Elizabeth, b. 25 July, 1943, m.31 May, 1969, Benjamin Hanbury (see
Burke's LG) .
(ii) Florence Diana, b. 1913
(iii) Audrey Olive, b. 1914: m. 1941, Col. James Charles Windsor Lewis,
DSO,MC, and has issue living: Browen Mary b. 1943, Catherine Thérèsa
b. 1948, married 22 September, 1979, at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, the Hon
Thomas Geoffrey Sackville, Conservative MP for Bolton West, second son
of the 10th Earl De La Warr.
(iv) Veronica June b. 1918: m.1946 Lt-Col. Michael George Borwick,
Royal Scots Greys of Swindridgemuir, Dalry, Ayrshire, and has issue
living, Frederick George b. 1948, James Quinton b. 1950
(v) Felicity Stella (Lady Desmond Chichester), b. 1921; d. 15 July,
2003: m. 1951, as his second wife, Major Lord Desmond Clive Chichester,
MC (b. 27 Jan 1920; d. 7 Oct, 2000), Coldstream Guards, brother of the
7th Marquess of Donegall.
(vi) Fenella Marie Gabrielle, b. 1922: m. 1943, Lt-Comm. Gerald Edward
C. Talbot Baines, DSC,RN, of Weybread Lodge, Diss, Norfolk, and has
issue living, Edward John Talbot b. 1945, Cristopher Roger Talbot b.
1954, Timothy Mark Talbot b. 1955, Erica Anne Fitzroy Talbot, b. 1947.
(vii) Penelope Anne, b. 1926: m. 1956 Major John Riley, Coldstream
Guards, seigneur de la Trinité, Jersey, of Manoir de la Trinité,
Jersey and has issue living, Bridget Mary b. 1958.
She married 4 January, 1938, the then John Henry Guy Nevill, styled
Earl of Lewes (b. 8 Nov, 1914; d. 23 Feb, 2000), son and heir of the
4th Marquess of Abergavenny (1883-1954), by his wife Isabel Nellie
Larnach.
Her husband succeeded as 5th Marquess on the demise of his father,
1954, and also Earl of Abergavenny, Earl of Lewes, Viscount Nevill, and
Baron Abergavenny.
He served as Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, was Her Majesty's
Representative at Ascot, 1972-82; created a Knight of the Garter in
1974, and was Chancellor of the Order of the Garter from 1977 until his
death. Her husband's brother, Lord Rupert Nevill, served as Treasurer
and Private Secretary to the Duke of Edinburgh.
Their home was at Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells, where members of the
Royal Family were frequent weekend guests. The house was besieged by
the Press in 1955 when Group Capt Peter Townsend returned from his 2
years exile abroad to discuss marriage with Princess Margaret. They
stayed as a guest of the Abergavennys whilst deliberating on their
future.
Lady Abergavenny was the mother of:-
(i) Lady Anne Patricia Nevill, b. 25 Oct, 1938, m. 1971, Martin Frank
Whiteley (d. 1984), and has issue, 1. Camilla Mary (b. 1972), 2. Davina
Marian Beatrice (b. 1973), 3. Lucinda Jane (b. 1978)
(ii) Lady Vivienne Margaret Nevill, b. 15 Feb, 1941, m. 1962, Alan
Lillingston, and has issue, 1. Luke (b. 1963). 2. Georgina Patricia,
(b. 1965), 3. Andrew Harry (b. 1972), 4. Sophie Susan (b. 1967).
(iii) Lady Jane Elizabeth Nevill, b. 7 Apl, 1944; d. 16 Oct, 1946
(iv) Henry John Montague Nevill, styled Earl of Lewes from 1954; a Page
of Honour to the Queen, 1962-64; b. 2 Feb, 1948; d. 2 April, 1965.
(v) Lady Rose Nevill, b. 15 July, 1950; m. 1990, George Mark Somerset
Clowes, son of Archibald Somerset Clowes.
Service of Thanksgiving, Tuesday, 8th March, 2005 at St Alban's Church,
Frant.
Source: Daily Telegraph 25 Feb, 2005.
--
Michael Rhodes
<<Mary Patricia Marchioness of Abergavenny>>
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were represented by the Duchess of
Grafton at a service of thanksgiving for the life of Mary Patricia
Marchioness of Abergavenny held 8 March, 2005 at the Church of St
Alban, Frant.
The Prince of Wales was represented by Mr Gerald Ward, the Princess
Royal by the Hon Mrs Legge-Bourke, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Simon Bland, the Duke of Kent by Mrs
Christopher Hall and Princess Alexandra by Mrs Peter Afia.
The Rev Alan Turner officiated, assisted by Canon Hugh Atherstone who
led the bidding prayer. Lady Anne Whiteley, daughter, read the lesson.
Mr Andrew Lillingston, grandson, read I am home in Heaven dear ones; Mr
Luke Lillingstone, grandson, read A smile costs nothing but gives much;
Miss Lucinda Whiteley, granddaughter, read from the works or R. W.
Emerson, Lady Rose Clowes, daughter, from the works of D. Harkins, and
Toby and Lucy Clowes, grandchildren, and Alexander and Amy Bell, great
grandchildren, from the works of Dorothy Frances Gurney. Among others
present were:
Mr Alan and Lady Vivienne Lillingston (son-in-law and daughter), Mr
George Clowes (son-in-law), Mrs Michael Porter, Mr and Mrs Peter Eliot,
Miss Sophie Lillingston and Mr and Mrs Michael Bell (grandchildren),
Nicholas Bell (great-grandson), Mrs Timothy Baines (sister), Mrs Hugh
Lawson (sister-in-law).
The Marquess and Marchioness of Abergavenny, Lord and Lady Annaly, Mr
Christopher Baines, Mr Mark Baines, Mrs Erica Locket, Lady Aird, Mrs
James Anderson, Mrs Julian Bevan, Mrs Rupert Bradstock, Lord Desmond
Chichester, Mr Dermot Chichester, the Countess of Cottenham, Mrs James
Daly, Mr and Mrs Ben Hanbury, the Hon Mrs Emma Hill, Mrs Guy Mainwaring
Burton, Lady McGowan, Mr High Myddleton, Lord and Lady Michael Pratt,
Mr and Mrs Adrian Pratt, the Hon Mrs Sackville.
Lady Howard de Walden, Lady Soames, Lady Brassey of Apethorpe Lady
Susan Hussey, Lady Elizabeth Baxendale, Lady Sarah Clutton, the Hon
Mary Morrison, the Hon Mrs Thomas Egerton, Lady Bengough, Mr Peter and
Lady Angela Whiteley. Mrs Ralph Abel-Smith, Mr Ian Askew, Mrs Peter
Beckwith Smith, Mr Andrew Brassey, Miss Davina Brennan, Miss Olivia
Brennan, Mr and Mrs Terrence Brennan, Mr and Mrs Scott Bricknell, Mrs
Jane Candlish, Mrs Chloe Carr, Mr and Mrs Archibald Clowes, Mr and Mrs
Richard Clowes, Mr John Cook, Mr and Mrs Simon Corbett, Mr and Mrs
Ralph Crathorne.
Mr Patrick Croker, Mr Clive de Rougemont, Captain and Mrs Peter
Fletcher, Mr Richard Ford, Mrs Victor Godman Law, Mrs Christopher Hall,
Mrs Fiona Henderson, Mrs John Henderson, Mr and Mrs H. A. Hill, Mr and
Mrs Mark Home, Mrs Dermot Kelly, Miss Susan Leggatt, Mr Michael
McCalmont, Mrs Karen McEwen, Mr John Newman, Mrs Joseph Newton, Mrs
Joseph Newton, Miss M. Peate, Mr and Mrs Jeffrey Peate, Mr and Mrs
Andrew Prideaux, Mr and Mrs Michael Prideaux, Mr and Mrs Duncan
Rawson-Mackenzie, Mrs John Rogers, Mr Peter Roselli, Miss Josephine
Sherrard, Mr Anthony Spink, Mr and Mrs David Stockdale, Mrs David
Tindall, Mrs Neville Turner, Mr and Mrs Peter Walwyn, Mrs Stephen Webb,
Mr Chalky White, Mr and Mrs Timothy Whiteley and representatives of
Eridge Pony Club with many other friends.....