Frances Margaret Wodehouse, Countess of Kimberley (1 December 1884 – 4 January 1950) was an English socialite and member of the

Bright Young Things __NOTOC__ The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People, was a nickname given by the tabloid press to a group of Bohemianism, Bohemian young Aristocracy (class), aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London. They threw flamboyant costume party, f ...

. She married three times, always with members of the British aristocracy. She scandalized society when she went to live with her future second husband without waiting for her divorce to be effective.

Biography

Frances Margaret Irby was the only daughter of Lt.-Col.

Leonard Howard Loyd Irby Leonard Howard Loyd Irby (13 April 1836 – 14 May 1905) was a British ornithologist and army officer. He specialised in the study of birds in southern Iberia. Life Irby was born in 1836 at Boyland Hall in Morningthorpe to Rear-Admiral Frederic ...

and Mary Brandling.Mosley, Charles, editor. ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage'', 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003 Since her presentation at court on 1 June 1906, presented by Lady de Blaquiere, Irby, according to the journals of the time, showed to be somewhat wild. She married three times. On 12 December 1905, Frances Margaret Irby married Sir Morgan George Crofton, 6th Baronet (1879–1958), son of Capt. Edward Hugh Crofton and Isabel Annie Julia Miller; they divorced on 8 April 1910. They had one son, Major Morgan George Crofton (1907–1947). Irby left Crofton for James Montagu without waiting for the divorce, creating a huge scandal, since she went to live with Montagu. On 22 October 1910 she married James Fountayne Montagu (1887–1971) of

Papplewick Hall Papplewick Hall is a Grade I listed English country house in Papplewick, Nottinghamshire. History It was completed around 1787 for the Hon. Frederick Montagu, and is probably the work of William Lindley of Doncaster.Notes on Papplewick, in J Pot ...

, son of James Wilson Montagu and Laura Adeline Thellusson; they divorced 1921. On 5 May 1922 she married

John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley, (11 November 1883 – 16 April 1941), styled Lord Wodehouse from 1902 to 1932, was a British peer and Liberal politician. He was a champion polo player. Background Wodehouse was the eldest son of John Wode ...

, son of John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley and Isabel Geraldine Stracey.''New York Times'' 6 May 1922 "LORD WODEHOUSE WEDS MRS. FRANCES MONTAGU; Bride of Polo Player and ex-Member of Parliament Had Been Married Twice Before" Page 7 When they married, reporters asked the question "Can Lord Wodehouse's Love Tame His Lively Bride?" They had one son,

John Wodehouse, 4th Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 4th Earl of Kimberley (12 May 1924 – 26 May 2002), styled Lord Wodehouse between 1932 and 1941, was an active British peer, and also a bobsled racer and Cresta member. Background and education Wodehouse was the son of John Wo ...

(1924–2002). Lady Kimberley died on 4 January 1950.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irby, Margaret 1884 births 1950 deaths Wives of baronets English socialites

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia * Kimberley (Western Australia) ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Kimberley * Kimberley Warm Springs, Tasmania * Kimberley, Tasmania a small town * County of Kimberley, a ...