Alexandra Mary Freesia Pelham, Lady Worsley,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(née Vivian; 27 February 1890–21 September 1963) was a British

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

and courtier. Alexandra was a daughter of

Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian Hussey Crespigny Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian, (19 June 1834 – 21 October 1893) was a British diplomat from the Vivian family. Background Born at Connaught Place, London, Vivian was the eldest son of Charles Vivian, 2nd Baron Vivian, and was ed ...

and a godchild of

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 t ...

. Among her siblings were

Hon Hon or HON may refer to: People * Han (surname) (Chinese: 韩/韓), also romanized Hon * Louis Hon (1924–2008), French footballer * Priscilla Hon (born 1998), Australian tennis player Other uses * Hon (Baltimore), a cultural stereotype of ...

Dorothy Maud Vivian (1879-1939), who married Field Marshal

Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. During the First World War, he commanded the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 unt ...

, commander of the British Expeditionary Force during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and

George Vivian, 4th Baron Vivian George Crespigny Brabazon Vivian, 4th Baron Vivian (21 January 1878 – 28 December 1940) was a British soldier from the Vivian family who served with distinction in both the Second Anglo-Boer War and World War I. Early life He was born at Con ...

(1878-1940). On 31 January 1911, she married Lt.

Charles Pelham, Lord Worsley Charles Sackville Pelham, Lord Worsley (14 August 1887 – 30 October 1914) was a British soldier. He was the son of Charles Pelham, 4th Earl of Yarborough and Marcia Pelham, Countess of Yarborough. On 31 January 1911, Lord Worsley married Alex ...

, the eldest son and heir of the 4th Earl of Yarborough. In 1914, Lady Worsley's husband was killed on active service in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

during

after only three years of marriage. She purchased the land where Lord Worsley's body was buried in the town of Zandvoorde, and after Worsley's body was re-interred, the land became the site of the Household Cavalry Memorial. The couple did not have any children and Lady Worsley did not remarry. In 1945, she was appointed an OBE for her service to the

war effort In politics and military planning, a war effort is a coordinated mobilization of society's resources—both industrial and human—towards the support of a military force. Depending on the militarization of the culture, the relative si ...

with the WVS and became an Extra

Woman of the Bedchamber In the Royal Household of the United Kingdom the term Woman of the Bedchamber is used to describe a woman (usually a daughter of a peer) attending either a queen regnant or queen consort, in the role of lady-in-waiting. Historically the term 'Ge ...

to Queen Elizabeth in 1947. In 1953, she was promoted to a

for her work with the

Victoria League The Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship (1901–present) is a voluntary charitable organisation that connects people from Commonwealth countries. There are currently branches in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand with affiliated organisatio ...

and died, aged 73, in 1963.

References

Sources

The London GazetteBurke's Peerage & Gentry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worsley, Alexandra Pelham, Lady Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Daughters of barons British courtesy baronesses and ladies of Parliament 1890 births 1963 deaths