Elizabeth Gunning, 1st Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon
Elizabeth Campbell, 1st Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon ( born December 7, 1733 in Hemingford Grey, Huntingdonshire, † December 20 1790 in Argyll House, London ) was a British aristocrat and lady Oberhof ( Lady of the Bedchamber ) Queen consort Sophia Charlotte of Ireland, Great Britain and Hanover.
Life
Elizabeth Gunning was the youngest daughter of the Irish soldier Colonel John Gunning, of Castle Coote, and his wife Hon Bridget Bourke, daughter of politician Theobald Bourke, 6th Viscount Mayo, and Mary Browne. Along with her older sister Mary (1732-1760) Elizabeth grew up in poverty. Early on, the mother urging their daughters to take up the activities to earn their livelihood.
Elizabeth and Maria Gunning traveled to Dublin, where they worked for some time at the City Theatre. There they learned the Irish actress Peg Woffington Margaret (1720-1760) know and became friends with her. Many actresses of the time were courtesans of wealthy benefactors. While many of these remained for a longer period of time, others took advantage of this situation to look for a prosperous and if possible also noble suitors. So the young women were encouraged to participate in social events - in order to find a potential suitor. In the summer of 1750, the two sisters were invited to such an event at Dublin Castle, the host was William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington ( 1690-1756 ) and former Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
A year later, Elizabeth and her sister traveled to England. In London's West End theater district and the Vauxhall Garden found the two employment. Within a short time Elizabeth Gunning rose to become the darling of London society.
Her sister, Mary, married Countess of Coventry, died at the age of 28 from the effects of lead-based make- up products. Between 1761 and 1784 Champ Elizabeth Bell, Baroness Hamilton Oberhof Lady ( Lady of the Bedchamber ) of the Queen Charlotte. After the death of her father, her second husband was given the hereditary title of Duke of Argyll awarded. Six years later, on 20 May 1776 gave the King George III. the Duchess of Argyll that he. dear, the title of a peer Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon ( Peeress in her own right)
Marriage and issue
On February 14, 1752 Elizabeth Gunning married in Bedford House London to the Scottish aristocrat and politician James Douglas-Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton ( 1724-1758 ), the only son of James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton, and his first wife Lady Anne Cochrane. From the joint compound has three children were born:
- Elizabeth Hamilton (1753-1797) ∞ 1774 Edward Smith Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby ( 1752-1834 )
- James George Hamilton (1755-1769), 7th Duke of Hamilton
- Douglas Hamilton (1756-1799), 8th Duke of Hamilton
After the early death of her husband, made Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater ( 1736-1803 ), later the founder of the British inland navigation, the Duchess the yard. Why it did not come to a wedding, is not known.
On February 3, 1759 she married second husband, the attractive Field Marshal John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne ( 1723-1806 ), the second son of General John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll, and Mary Bellenden. From the joint compound produced five children:
- Augusta Campbell (1760-1831) ∞ 1830 Brigadier - General Henry Clavering
- George John Campbell (1763-1764), Earl of Campbell
- George William Campbell (1768-1839), 6th Duke of Argyll ∞ 1810 Lady Caroline Elizabeth Villiers ( 1774-1835 )
- Charlotte Susan Maria Campbell (1775-1861), writer
- John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell (1777-1847), 7th Duke of Argyll