Isabella, Countess of Hertford (1765) by Alexander Roslin

Isabella Seymour-Conway ( Fitzroy; 1726 – 10 November 1782), was the wife of

Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford, KG, PC, PC (Ire) (5 July 1718 – 14 June 1794) of Ragley Hall, Arrow, in Warwickshire, was a British courtier and politician who, briefly, was Viceroy of Ireland where he had substantial es ...

. She was the daughter of

Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, (25 October 1683 – 6 May 1757) was an Irish and English politician. Early life He was the only child and heir of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton (1663–1690) (an illegitimate son of King Charles I ...

, and thus descended in the illegitimate line from King Charles II. Her mother was Henrietta FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton, formerly Lady Henrietta Somerset. She married Seymour-Conway on 29 May 1741, when he was still Baron Conway. Their children were: *

Francis Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of Hertford Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of Hertford, KG, PC, PC (Ire) (12 February 1743 – 17 June 1822), styled The Honourable Francis Seymour-Conway until 1750, Viscount Beauchamp between 1750 and 1793, and Earl of Yarmouth between 17 ...

(1743-1822) * Lady Anne Seymour-Conway (1744-1784), who married

Charles Moore, 1st Marquess of Drogheda Field Marshal Charles Moore, 1st Marquess of Drogheda (29 June 1730 – 22 December 1822), styled Viscount Moore from 1752 until 28 October 1758 and then Earl of Drogheda until 2 July 1791, was an Irish peer and later a British peer, and milita ...

, and had children *

Lord Henry Seymour-Conway Lord Henry Seymour (15 December 1746 – 5 February 1830) was a British politician, the second son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford. He was known as Hon. Henry Seymour-Conway until 1793, when his father was created a marquess; ...

(1746-1830) * Lady Sarah Frances Seymour-Conway (27 September 1747 – 20 July 1770), who married

Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry PC (Ire) (1739–1821), was a County Down landowner, Irish Volunteer, and member of the parliament who, exceptionally for an Ulster Scot and Presbyterian, rose within the ranks of Ireland's "Angli ...

, and had children * Lord Robert Seymour-Conway (1748-1831), who was married twice and had children * Lady Gertrude Seymour-Conway (1750-1782), who married

George Mason-Villiers, 2nd Earl Grandison George Mason-Villiers, 2nd Earl Grandison PC (13 July 1751 – 14 July 1800), styled Viscount Villiers between 1767 and 1782, was a British peer from the Villiers family and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1780. Early lif ...

, and had children * Lady Frances Seymour-Conway (1751-1820), who married Henry Fiennes Pelham-Clinton, Earl of Lincoln, and had children *Rev. Hon. Edward Seymour-Conway (1752–1785), canon of

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, who died unmarried *Lady Elizabeth Seymour-Conway (1754–1825), who died unmarried *Lady Isabella Rachel Seymour-Conway (1755-1825), who married George Hatton, MP, and had children *Admiral

Lord Hugh Seymour Vice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour (29 April 1759 – 11 September 1801) was a senior British Royal Navy officer of the late 18th century who was the fifth son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford, and became known for being both a p ...

(29 April 1759 – 11 September 1801), who married Lady Anne Horatia Waldegrave, a daughter of

James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave, (4 March 171513 April 1763) was a British politician who is sometimes regarded as one of the shortest-serving British prime ministers in history. His brief tenure as First Lord of the Treasury is lent a mo ...

, and had children *Lord William Seymour-Conway (1759-1837), who married Martha Clitherow and had children * Lord George Seymour-Conway (1763-1848), who married Isabella Hamilton, granddaughter of

James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn PC (Ire) (1686–1744), styled Lord Paisley from 1701 to 1734, was a Scottish and Irish nobleman and peer. An amateur scientist and musician, he published a book on magnetism in 1729 and a treatise on musi ...

, and had children She became a countess when her husband was created an earl in 1750. In the 1760s the earl was appointed Ambassador to France and was accompanied by his wife, whose portrait was painted in Paris by

Alexander Roslin Alexander Roslin (spelled Alexandre in French, ; 15 July 17185 July 1793) was a Swedish portrait painter who worked in Scania, Bayreuth, Paris, Italy, Warsaw and St. Petersburg, primarily for members of aristocratic families. He combined insight ...

. The countess was an art collector and in 1759 was introduced to William Hunter, who remained a friend. Hunter was founder of the

Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery The Hunterian is a complex of museums located in and operated by the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest museum in Scotland. It covers the Hunterian Museum, the Hunterian Art Gallery, the Mackintosh House, the Zoology M ...

, where her portrait now hangs. From 1768 until her death, the countess was a

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. They are ranked between the Mis ...

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...

, queen consort of King

George III of the United Kingdom George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until Acts of Union 1800, the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was ...

. The earl and countess were the subject of at least two caricatures created by the political cartoonist

James Gillray James Gillray (13 August 1756Gillray, James and Draper Hill (1966). ''Fashionable contrasts''. Phaidon. p. 8.Baptism register for Fetter Lane (Moravian) confirms birth as 13 August 1756, baptism 17 August 1756 1June 1815) was a British caricatur ...

. One of these, "Dame rat, and her poor little ones", published in 1782, shows Isabella and her husband in the company of

Charles James Fox Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 – 13 September 1806), styled ''The Honourable'' from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-riv ...

. The other, "The Jubilee", shows the couple dancing around a gallows from which hangs a fox. She died, aged 56, after a visit to their grandson at Forde's Farm,

Thames Ditton Thames Ditton is a suburban village on the River Thames, in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England. Apart from a large inhabited island in the river, it lies on the southern bank, centred 12.2 miles (19.6 km) southwest of Charing Cross ...

, where she was taken ill.

Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole (), 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian, and Whigs (British political party), Whig politician. He had Strawb ...

, who was related to the earl and a correspondent of the countess, said, "Lord Hertford's loss is beyond measure. She was not only the most affectionate wife, but the most useful one, and almost the only person I ever saw that never neglected or put off or forgot anything that was to be done. She was always proper, either in the highest life or in the most domestic." It was after the countess's death that the earl was given the title

Marquess of Hertford The titles of Earl of Hertford and Marquess of Hertford have been created several times in the peerages of England and Great Britain. The third Earldom of Hertford was created in 1559 for Edward Seymour, who was simultaneously created Baron Be ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hertford, Isabella Seymour-Conway, Countess of 1726 births 1782 deaths Daughters of English dukes British countesses Ladies of the Bedchamber Court of George III of the United Kingdom Wives of knights