Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland

Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Sutherland - Leveson - Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, VA ( born May 21, 1806 Devonshire House, London, † October 27, 1868 in Trentham, Staffordshire ) was a British nobleman and maid of honor ( Mistress of the Robes ) of Queen Victoria. She was also the first feminist in the United Kingdom.

Life

Lady Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard was the third daughter of twelve children of Scottish aristocrat George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle ( 1773-1848 ) and his wife Lady Georgiana Dorothy Cavendish ( 1783-1858 ), a daughter of the politician William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, and his first wife Lady Georgiana Spencer. She received a comprehensive and excellent education, spoke several languages ​​and was reflected in literature, music and painting interested.

On May 18, 1823 Lady Harriet married in Tentham the politician George Sutherland - Leveson - Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland ( 1786-1861 ), eldest son of George Granville Leveson - Gower, later the Duke of Sutherland, and Elizabeth Gordon. From the marriage, which by all accounts was harmonious, went eight children were born:

  • Constance Gertrude (1824-1880) ∞ 1852 Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
  • Elizabeth Georgiana (1824-1878) ∞ 1844 George Douglas Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll
  • Evelyn (1825-1869) ∞ 1843 Charles Stuart, 12th Lord Blantyre
  • Caroline (1827-1887) ∞ 1847 Charles William FitzGerald, 4th Duke of Leinster
  • George Granville William (1828-1892), 3rd Duke of Sutherland
  • Frederick George (1832-1854), killed at the siege of Sevastopol
  • Albert (1843-1874) ∞ 1873 Lady Grace Emma Townshend Abdy
  • Ronald Charles (1845-1916), unmarried

The Duchess of Sutherland was a childhood friend of Princess Victoria of Kent, the future queen ( 1819-1901 ). In the following years she was several times as high Kämmerin ( Mistress of the Robes ) of the female courtiers of Her Majesty. Served in this office later even her eldest daughter Elizabeth Georgiana and her daughter Anne Sutherland - Leveson - Gower, Duchess of Sutherland.

In addition, Harriet Leveson Gower was very interested in politics and was involved in the campaign for the Whigs. In her London townhouse, Devonshire House, the most important political figures came together to discuss; in which they later Giuseppe Garibaldi made ​​known with Lord Derby, Polish and Italian political refugees hosted and discussed with Shaftesbury reforms. With the British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone they became close friends. The Duchess supported liberal ideas and was very close to the women's movement.

In 1853 appeared in the " New York Herald Tribune ," the article by Karl Marx on " Sutherland and Slavery ." In it, the author pointed out the decades of " land consolidation " ( Highland Clearances ), which had taken place on the property of the family in Scotland. It was understood among this highly euphemistic term grafting of small tenants to other places, because the land was needed for extensive farming, in the form of mass sheep. In Marx's economic masterpiece, the capital, he takes in the context of primitive accumulation further reference to them. According to the laws of modern production methods corresponded to these expulsions sure. As a material basis for the philanthropic efforts of the Duchess to injustice overseas (abolition of the slave trade ) Marx found it outrageous. However, your husband, deaf, but proficient in stores, continued the expropriation, to the extent that was even necessary. In the year of death of Karl Marx, 1883, the Land of Sutherland, with total 5200 square kilometers at the top of the list of the British land.

Offices and Awards

In its various stages of life was her name

Others

  • Her grandson, John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll ( 1845-1914 ), married in 1871, the British Princess Louise Caroline Alberta ( 1848-1939 ), a daughter of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort Albert of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha. By marriage, he belonged to the royal family and was Governor General of Canada.
  • Her granddaughter, Lady Margaret Evelyn Grosvenor (1873-1929), married in 1894 the German -born Prince Adolphus of Teck ( 1868-1927 ), eldest son of Duke Francis of Teck and his wife Princess Mary Adelaide of Great Britain, Ireland and Hanover. Through marriage, she was a member of the British Royal Family and the last Duchess of Teck in the Kingdom of Württemberg.
Franz Xaver Winterhalter Royal Order of Victoria and Albert William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire Siege of Sevastopol (1854–55) Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby Italy Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury Das Kapital Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge Francis, Duke of Teck The Complete Peerage Name Authority File
376388
de