Laura Pulteney, 1st Countess of Bath
Encyclopedia
Laura Pulteney, 1st Countess of Bath (26 December 1766, Westminster
–14 July 1808, Brighton
) was a British peeress
and heiress.
. When her mother inherited the estate of her kinsman, Harry Pulteney
(who had previously inherited them from William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
) in 1767, her parents took the name Pulteney and they moved to Bath House on Piccadilly
, where she spent her childhood. On her mother's death in 1782, she inherited the vast Pulteney estate.
Initially educated at home, Pulteney completed her education at the convent of Montparnasse
in Paris
in 1783. There she was visited by her kinswoman, the Countess of Hopetoun, her friend the Baroness Belmore and the Countess of Dundonald, the latter of whom introduced her to Paris
ian society.
As a young woman, Pulteney spent time at Sudborough
in Northamptonshire
(later endowing a school there as well as in Clewer
, Berkshire
) where her neighbour was Archibald Alison
, to whom she agreed to be a godmother to his son, William
.
until its extinction in 1742, a marquessate of Bath
had been created for Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount Weymouth
in 1789. Some Lords attempted to have her peerage cancelled due to the unprecedented use of the same place name in two separate peerages for separate people. This was rejected and she was further elevated as Countess of Bath in 1803, although it is a general rule that, wherever possible, peerage titles should not be duplicated.
On 17 July 1794, she married her father's first cousin
, Sir James Murray, 7th Baronet and he took the additional surname of Pulteney.
and America
. She died just over three years later in 1808, possibly from consumption
and was buried in the south cloister
of Westminster Abbey
. Her personal estate passed to her cousin, Elizabeth Evelyn Fawcett (daughter of Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet
and ex-wife of George Markham, Dean of York
); she and her husband changed their name to Pulteney. Her landed estates passed to William Vane, 3rd Earl of Darlington
. As she had no children, her titles became extinct.
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
–14 July 1808, Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
) was a British peeress
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and heiress.
Early life
Born Henrietta Laura Johnstone, she was the only child of the wealthy William Johnstone, later Sir William Pulteney, 5th Bt. and his wife, Frances Pulteney, daughter of Daniel PulteneyDaniel Pulteney
Daniel Pulteney was an English government official and Member of Parliament.Pulteney was the son of John Pulteney , MP for Hastings and Commissioner of Customs, and Lucy Colville. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford, matriculating in 1699.He was one of the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations...
. When her mother inherited the estate of her kinsman, Harry Pulteney
Harry Pulteney
General Harry Pulteney was an English soldier and Member of Parliament.He was the younger son of Colonel William Pulteney, of Misterton in Leicestershire, and Mary Floyd...
(who had previously inherited them from William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever , though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the...
) in 1767, her parents took the name Pulteney and they moved to Bath House on Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
, where she spent her childhood. On her mother's death in 1782, she inherited the vast Pulteney estate.
Initially educated at home, Pulteney completed her education at the convent of Montparnasse
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1783. There she was visited by her kinswoman, the Countess of Hopetoun, her friend the Baroness Belmore and the Countess of Dundonald, the latter of whom introduced her to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian society.
As a young woman, Pulteney spent time at Sudborough
Sudborough
Sudborough is a village and civil parish in East Northamptonshire. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 189 people.Sudborough is bypassed by the A6116 road and is in the boundaries of the ancient Rockingham Forest; its nearest town is Thrapston, to its south-east.- External...
in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
(later endowing a school there as well as in Clewer
Clewer
Clewer is an ecclesiastical parish and region of Windsor making up three wards of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-History:...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
) where her neighbour was Archibald Alison
Archibald Alison (Scottish author)
Archibald Alison FRS FRSE was a Scottish episcopalian priest and essayist.-Early life:He was born at Edinburgh on 13 November, 1757, to Patrick Alison, the provost of the Diocese of Edinburgh, himself a younger son of an Alison of Newhall, near Coupar Angus.After studying at the University of...
, to whom she agreed to be a godmother to his son, William
William Pulteney Alison
William Pulteney Alison FRSE FRCPE FSA was a Scottish physician, social reformer and philanthropist. He was a distinguished professor of medicine at Edinburgh University...
.
Peerage and marriage
Although Pulteney's father never sought political office, he did procure a peerage for her and she was created Baroness Bath in 1792, aged twenty six. Despite her mother's family having previously held the earldom of BathEarl of Bath
Earl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once Peerage of the United Kingdom...
until its extinction in 1742, a marquessate of Bath
Marquess of Bath
Marquess of Bath is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1789 for Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount Weymouth. The Thynne family descends from the soldier and courtier Sir John Thynne , who constructed Longleat House between 1567 and 1579...
had been created for Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount Weymouth
Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath
Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath KG was a British politician who held office under George III serving as Southern Secretary, Northern Secretary and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Between 1751 and 1780 he was known as Lord Weymouth...
in 1789. Some Lords attempted to have her peerage cancelled due to the unprecedented use of the same place name in two separate peerages for separate people. This was rejected and she was further elevated as Countess of Bath in 1803, although it is a general rule that, wherever possible, peerage titles should not be duplicated.
On 17 July 1794, she married her father's first cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
, Sir James Murray, 7th Baronet and he took the additional surname of Pulteney.
Later years
When Lady Bath's father died intestate in 1805, his personal estate was divided between her and his second wife. Lady Bath inherited two thirds and property in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She died just over three years later in 1808, possibly from consumption
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and was buried in the south cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. Her personal estate passed to her cousin, Elizabeth Evelyn Fawcett (daughter of Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet , of Norwood Park in Nottinghamshire was an English Member of Parliament....
and ex-wife of George Markham, Dean of York
Dean of York
The Dean of York is the member of the clergy who is responsible for the running of the York Minster cathedral.-11th–12th centuries:* 1093–c.1135: Hugh* c.1138–1143: William of Sainte-Barbe...
); she and her husband changed their name to Pulteney. Her landed estates passed to William Vane, 3rd Earl of Darlington
William Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland
William Henry Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland, KG was a British peer.He was born in 1766, the son of the 2nd Earl of Darlington, and was baptised at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace...
. As she had no children, her titles became extinct.
Source
- Rowe, M. J. and McBryde, W. H. - Pulteney (formerly Johnstone), (Henrietta) Laura, suo jure countess of Bath (1766–1808), heiress - Oxford Dictionary of National Biography