Roberte Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough (''

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

'' Poupart de Neuflize) (1892–1979), was a French noblewoman who married into the English aristocracy and served as

Viceregal Consort of Canada The viceregal consort of Canada is the spouse of the serving governor general of Canada, assisting the viceroy with ceremonial and charitable work, accompanying him or her to official state occasions, and occasionally undertaking philanthropic work ...

in the 1930s.

Early life

She was the only daughter of Baron Jean Poupart de Neuflize and Madeleine Dolfuss-Davilliers and grew up in the family home, 7 Rue Alfred-de-Vigny, a

Hôtel particulier An ''hôtel particulier'' () is a grand townhouse, comparable to the Townhouse (Great Britain), British townhouse or mansion. Whereas an ordinary ''maison'' (house) was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side an ...

in the

8th arrondissement of Paris The 8th arrondissement of Paris (''VIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, the arrondissement is colloquially referred to as ''le huitième'' ("the eighth"). The arrondissement, ...

. She had two older brothers, André Poupart de Neuflize (who married the American heiress Eva Barbey), and Jacques Poupart de Neuflize, a banker who succeeded their father in running the family bank. Her mother was a granddaughter of French industrialist

Jean Dollfus Jean Dollfus (September 25, 1800 – 21 May 1887) was a French industrialist who grew a textile company, Dollfus-Mieg et Compagnie (D.M.C.), in Mulhouse. Dollfus was a leading figure in a philanthropic society which constructed a company town that ...

Personal life

On 25 June 1912, she married Vere Ponsonby, Viscount Duncannon (1880–1956), son of

Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough Memorial in the chapel at Stansted Park Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough, (1 March 1851 – 1 December 1920), known as Viscount Duncannon from 1895 until 1906, was a British peer. Background Ponsonby was the eldest son of Reverend ...

, and Blanche Vere Guest; she held the courtesy title of Viscountess Duncannon. Her husband inherited the title of

Earl of Bessborough Earl of Bessborough is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1739 for Brabazon Ponsonby, 2nd Viscount Duncannon, who had previously represented Newtownards and County Kildare in the Irish House of Commons. In 1749, he was given ...

upon the death of his father on 1 December 1920, whereupon Roberte became the Countess of Bessborough. Together, they had three sons (two of whom predeceased their parents) and a daughter: * Frederick Edward Neuflize Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough (1913–1993), who married Mary Munn, a daughter of Charles A. Munn Jr. and

Mary Astor Paul Mary Astor Paul Munn Allez (March 26, 1889 – July 28, 1950) was a Philadelphia socialite who was related to the Astor and Drexel families. During World War II, she helped the American forces in France. Early life Mary was born on March 26, 188 ...

, in 1948. *Hon. Desmond Neuflize Ponsonby (1915–1925), who died after a riding accident. * Lady Moyra Blanche Madeleine Ponsonby (1918–2016), who married, as his second wife,

Sir Denis John Wolko Browne Sir Denis John Wolko Browne (2 April 1892 – 9 January 1967) was the first British surgeon to devote his practice entirely to the care of children. A native of Australia, he served in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps in World War I before ...

, a son of Sylvester J. Browne, in 1945. Sir Denis' first wife,

Helen de Guerry Simpson Helen de Guerry Simpson (1 December 1897 – 14 October 1940) was an Australian novelist and British Liberal Party politician. Youth and education Simpson was born in Sydney into a family that had been settled in New South Wales for over 100 ...

, died from cancer in 1940. *Lt. Hon. George St Lawrence Neuflize Ponsonby (1931–1951), who died unmarried. In 1924, they purchased a

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

in England, known as

Stansted House Stansted Park (including Stansted House) is an Edwardian country house in the parish of Stoughton, West Sussex, England. It is near the city of Chichester, and also the village of Rowlands Castle to the west over the border in Hampshire. The ...

Stoughton, West Sussex Stoughton is a village and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located north west of Chichester east of the B2146 road, on a lane leading to East Marden. The parish has a land area of . In the 2001 census 631 peo ...

. On 2 Jun 1937, her husband was created Earl of Bessborough in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...

(the earlier earldom was created in the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...

). Lord Bessborough died at Stansted House on 10 March 1956, and Lady Bessborough died in 1978.

Honours

She was invested as a Dame Grand Cross, Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (GC.St.J). She was decorated with the Chevalier,

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

. She held the office of

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

for

West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an ar ...

between 1943 and 1956.Charles Mosley, editor, ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition'', 3 volumes (

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd., 2003), volume 1, page 363.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bessborough, Roberte Ponsonby, Countess of 1892 births 1979 deaths

Roberte Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough Roberte Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough (''née'' Poupart de Neuflize) (1892–1979), was a French noblewoman who married into the English aristocracy and served as Viceregal Consort of Canada in the 1930s. Early life She was the only daught ...

British countesses Irish countesses Canadian viceregal consorts Dames Grand Cross of the Order of St John Daughters of barons People from Stoughton, West Sussex Date of birth unknown Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur English justices of the peace French emigrants to the United Kingdom Wives of knights