Lady Mary Tufton (6 July 170119 February 1785)Record for ''Mary Tufton Leveson-Gower'' at ''www.findagrave.com''
/ref> was an English aristocrat and philanthropist. She was the youngest child of

Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet, 18th Baron de Clifford PC (30 August 1644 – 30 July 1729)G. E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors. The Complete Peerage of England, ...

, a politician, who was himself noted for his charitable giving. She was named in her father's will as an executor and administrator of the trust he established to provide for charities, including a school for poor children. She married

Anthony Grey, Earl of Harold Anthony Grey, 3rd Baron Lucas, styled Earl of Harold (21 February 1695 – 21 July 1723) was a British peer and courtier. Grey was the eldest son of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, and his wife, Jemima Crew. On 17 February 1718, Anthony married ...

, on 17 February 1718.Mosley, Charles, editor. ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes''. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, Vol. 1, p. 1065. Grey died at the age of 27 by choking on an ear of barley, on 21 July 1723. She was one of the group of aristocratic women who signed Thomas Coram's petition to King George II to establish the

Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" w ...

, a place of safety for babies and children at risk of abandonment. She signed on 6 November 1733. She joined the group in supporting an increase in systematised social welfare initiatives. In an essay which celebrates the role of women in the history of the Foundling Hospital, Elizabeth Einberg states that the women not only lent it their social cachet, but could 'highlight the Christian, virtuous and humanitarian aspects of such an endeavour', making it 'one of the most fashionable charities of the day'. Her father's will had stipulated that, if she remarried, she would cease being an executor of his trust and charities. However, at the time of her marriage to

John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower, PC (10 August 1694 – 25 December 1754), was an English Tory politician and peer who twice served as Lord Privy Seal from 1742 to 1743 and 1744 to 1754. Leveson-Gower is best known for his political career ...

on 16 May 1736, she was the only surviving executor. She petitioned for, and was granted, letters of administration that enabled her to continue in that role. She provided financial support to other charities, including

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

s in Vauxhall for seven poor widows, which she had repaired and for which she purchased shares to provide them with an ongoing income, and a school for poor children in

Brighton, Sussex Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

(or Brighthelmston, as it was known in 1771). One hundred and forty years after her death, these charities were still known as 'the Countess of Gower's Charity'. She also provided additional income for clergy livings at several churches in Lancashire and Cumbria, for which she was remembered as "that great friend of poor livings". At the news of her marriage to Leveson-Gower, a contemporary commented 'everybody thinks him a lucky man to get a woman of her understanding and fortune ..but love removes great obstacles.' At the time her jointure from her first marriage was £2000, a significant fortune. By her marriage to Leveson-Gower, she had two children, the younger of whom was

Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...

John Leveson-Gower. She died on 19 February 1785, at the age of 83.

Styles

* Lady Mary Tufton * Countess of Harold * Baroness Lucas of Crudwell * Baroness Gower of Sittenham * Countess Gower

Ancestry

References

{{reflist English philanthropists

Thanet Thanet may refer to: *Isle of Thanet, a former island, now a peninsula, at the most easterly point of Kent, England *Thanet District, a local government district containing the island *Thanet College, former name of East Kent College *Thanet Canal, ...

Harold Harold may refer to: People * Harold (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Harold (surname), surname in the English language * András Arató, known in meme culture as "Hide the Pain Harold" Arts a ...

Gower Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...

Daughters of British earls 1701 births 1785 deaths