Sybil Mary Fane, Countess of Westmorland (20 August 1871 – 21 July 1910), born Lady Sybil Mary St Clair-Erskine, was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...

and socialite.

Life

Born on 20 August 1871 at 40

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, London,University of Hull, Directory of Royal Genealogical Data: Sybil Mary St.Clair-Erskine
/ref> Lady Sybil was the daughter of Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn and Blanche Adeliza Fitzroy. Her sisters were Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland and

Lady Angela Forbes Lady Angela Selina Bianca Forbes (née St Clair-Erskine; 11 June 1876 – 22 October 1950) was a British socialite and novelist who was known as a forces sweetheart for organising soldiers' canteens in France during the First World War. She rev ...

; Daisy, Countess of Warwick was a half-sister, from their mother’s previous marriage to Hon. Charles Henry Maynard. She was renowned for her beauty, and had no qualms about enhancing it by the use of cosmetics, which was considered daring at the time.Adby, Jane and Charlotte Gere (1984). ''The Souls'', p.179 & p.184. London : Sidgwick & Jackson. She was connected with the group known as

The Souls The Souls was a small loosely-knit but distinctive elite social and intellectual group in the United Kingdom from 1885 to the turn of the century. Many of the most distinguished British politicians and intellectuals of the time were members. Th ...

, having been introduced by George Curzon. On 28 May 1892 she married Anthony Mildmay Julian Fane, 13th Earl of Westmorland. The wedding took place at St. Michael's Church, Chester Square,

Belgravia Belgravia () is a district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' during the Tudor Period, and became a dangerous pla ...

, London. Upon her marriage, Sybil took the title Countess of Westmorland. The couple had the following children:thepeerage.com: Lady Sybil Mary St.Clair-Erskine
/ref> * Lt.-Comm. the Hon. Vere Anthony Francis St Clair Fane, 14th Earl of Westmorland (15 March 1893 – 12 May 1948) *Lady Enid Victoria Rachel Fane (24 April 1894 – 9 September 1969); married Major Herbert Broke Turnor. They were the maternal grandparents of Neil McCorquodale, who married

Lady Sarah Spencer Lady Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia McCorquodale (''née'' Spencer; born 19 March 1955) is one of the two older sisters of Diana, Princess of Wales, the other being Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes. For a short period of time, she dated Prince Charles ...

(elder sister of

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...

). *Maj. the Hon. Mountjoy John Charles Wedderburn Fane (8 October 1900 – 9 October 1963) *Lady Violet Gloria Sybil Fane (11 April 1902 – 9 September 1969) In July 1897 Sybil attended the Duchess of Devonshire’s grand ball, at

Devonshire House Devonshire House in Piccadilly, was the London townhouse of the Dukes of Devonshire during the 18th and 19th centuries. Following a fire in 1733 it was rebuilt by William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, in the Palladian style, to designs ...

in Piccadilly, London. The ball was held in celebration of Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee, and was one of the most extravagant aristocratic parties ever. Guests were asked to attend dressed as allegorical or historical figures from before 1815. Sybil dressed as Hebe, goddess of youth, carrying a gold cup in her hand, with an enormous stuffed eagle strapped to her shoulders, in imitation of a painting by

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

. The society photographers, Lafayette Studios of

Bond Street Bond Street in the West End of London links Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north. Since the 18th century the street has housed many prestigious and upmarket fashion retailers. The southern section is Old Bond Street and the l ...

London, erected a tent in the garden, and the printed photographs of the guests still exist in the Devonshire archives at Chatsworth.''The Aristocracy: Born to Rule: 1875-1914''. BBC Television. (1997) Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough remembered Sybil as the outstanding beauty of the Devonshire House Ball: :"She had perhaps the most perfect face. I can see her now in a Greek peplum impersonating Hebe. The grey feathers of a life-like stuffed eagle perched on her shoulder, set off the glorious sheen of her red hair". Sybil, Countess of Westmorland was the inspiration behind the character ''Lady Roehampton'' in Vita Sackville-West's novel, ''

The Edwardians ''The Edwardians'' is a 1930 novel by Vita Sackville-West and a clear critique of the Edwardian aristocratic society as well as a reflection of her own childhood experiences. It belongs to the genre of the Bildungsroman and describes the dev ...

''. Lady Westmorland died at 58 Queen Anne’s Street in

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also ) is an area in London, England, and is located in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. Oxford Street forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropo ...

, London on 21 July 1910, aged 38, and was buried in the

Rosslyn Chapel Rosslyn Chapel, also known as the Collegiate Chapel of Saint Matthew, is a 15th-century Scottish Episcopal Church, Episcopal chapel located in the village of Roslin, Midlothian, Roslin in Midlothian, Scotland. The chapel was founded by William Si ...

Gallery

File:Sybil Fane, Countess of Westmorland - 1900.jpg, Sybil Fane, Countess of Westmorland, dressed as an allegory of ''

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

'' - Lafayette Studio, February 1900 File:Sybil Fane, Countess of Westmorland - 1905.jpg, Sybil Fane, Countess of Westmorland, 1905 File:Anthony Fane, 13th Earl of Westmorland - 1893.jpg, Sybil’s husband,

Anthony Fane, 13th Earl of Westmorland Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Mildmay Julian Fane, 13th Earl of Westmorland, Order of the British Empire, CBE, Justice of the Peace, JP (16 August 1859 – 9 June 1922), styled Lord Burghersh between October 1859 and 1891, was a British peer. Back ...

, 1893 File:Lady Sybil Mary St Clair-Erskine (pre-1892).jpg, Lady Sybil Mary St Clair-Erskine before she became Countess of Westmorland in 1892

References

External links

Lafayette Studio archives
at the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Westmorland, Sybil Fane, Countess of 1871 births 1910 deaths English countesses Daughters of British earls

Sybil Sibyls were oracular women believed to possess prophetic powers in ancient Greece. Sybil or Sibyl may also refer to: Films * ''Sybil'' (1921 film) * ''Sybil'' (1976 film), a film starring Sally Field * ''Sybil'' (2007 film), a remake of the 1 ...

People from Mayfair