RUSSELL, Lady Mary (Lady Mary nee BAILLIE-HAMILTON) 1934-2022

[Richard R]

From the Times of 26 Sept 2022: RUSSELL Lady Mary. Died peacefully at home with her family around her on Sunday 18th September. Beloved wife of David, much-loved mother of Arabella, Anthony, Philip, Jason and Mariana, and dearly loved by her 12 grandchildren. Funeral to be held on Monday 10th October at 2pm, Our Lady of Lourdes, Hungerford. Family flowers only. Donations please to the NSPCC.

She was d of 12th Earl of HADDINGTON 1894-1986 and Sarah d 1995 d of Sarah Muriel Josephine 1903-95 d of George William COOK 1867-1955 by his 1895 m reg Q3 Quebec, Canada to Wilhelmina (Willa) Marion O'MEARA 1877-1962. She m 1st 1954 (John) Adrian 1930-2021 s of Ronald Graham BAILEY 1904-67 by his 1929 m reg Q4 London to Annette Winifred c1906- d of William Bruce ROBERTSON, and had two sons (William, Philip) and a dau (Arabella, Viscountess CHANDOS). She m 2nd 1965 David Vernon b 1929 reg Q3 London s of Brig. Hugh Edward RUSSELL DSO 1896-1941 by his 1923 m reg Q4 London to Muriel Dorothy Vernon SUMMERS, and had a further son (Jason) and dau (Mariana).

[www.lordmountbattenofburma.com]

and of course she was a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II at her Coronation in 1952.



Lady Mary is third from the right.

[pyvery]

She is only the second maid of honour to die the first being lady Myra Campbell in 2020

[BREMENMURRAY]

Also the second youngest after Baroness Willoughby de Ersby

[Richard R]

Obit from the Times of 29 Sept 2022:
E X T R A C T
Lady Mary Russell obituary
Maid of honour at the Queen’s coronation who was one of six helping to carry her 21ft velvet train through Westminster Abbey
Mary Baillie-Hamilton was 19 when she received a letter telling her that she would be a maid of honour at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. “It was addressed to me, care of my parents,” she told Newbury Today. “I was absolutely gobsmacked. My parents had known the late King and Queen Mother. I had never met the Queen. I think I had met her parents, but only to curtsey to...”
...Mary Katherine Baillie-Hamilton was born in London in 1934, the elder of two children of the 12th Earl of Haddington, a Knight of the Thistle and lord-lieutenant of Berwickshire who had won a Military Cross in the First World War, and took part in the Second. Her mother was Sarah (née Cook) of Montreal, who played a part in the formation of the Edinburgh Festival and insisted that their children had a Catholic education...
...Although George VI’s ill health prevented her from being presented at Court, her mother arranged an elaborate coming-out ball at Syon House, home of the Duke of Northumberland.
In 1954, Baillie-Hamilton married Adrian Bailey, a director of Rockwear Glass, the bottle manufacturer. Their wedding was attended by the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. She is survived by their children: Arabella, who is Viscountess Chandos; Anthony, a psychotherapist; and Philip, a retired wine merchant. The marriage was dissolved and in 1965 she married David Russell, who ran an advertising agency and was chairman of the Old Vic Theatre Company. He survives her, as do their children, Jason, a banker, and Mariana, who works in education.
About the time of their marriage the couple acquired Combe Manor near Hungerford in Berkshire, said to have been visited by Charles II and Nell Gwynne. It is now used as a wedding and entertainment venue...
Lady Mary Russell, maid of honour at the coronation, was born on January 13, 1934. She died after a long illness on September 18, 2022, aged 88
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lady-mary-russell-obituary-swpt57pkn

[colinp]

From the Court Circular:

Balmoral Castle
10th October, 2022
The King was represented by the Hon Dame Annabel Whitehead (Lady in Waiting to The late Queen Elizabeth II) at the Funeral of the Lady Mary Russell (Maid of Honour at the Coronation of The late Queen Elizabeth II) which was held in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Priory Road, Hungerford, Berkshire, this afternoon.