Flora Curzon, Lady Howe (born Florence Hamilton Davis; January 27, 1870 – April 15, 1925) was an American heiress and singer who twice married into the British aristocracy.

Early life

Florence Hamilton Davis was born in New York City around 1865. Flora, as she was known, was the daughter of

Bellevue, Ohio Bellevue ( ) is a city in Erie, Huron, Seneca, and Sandusky counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, located 61 miles southwest of Cleveland and 45 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 8,202 at the 2010 census. The National Arbor Day Fou ...

born Florence (

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 ...

Chapman) Davis and John Hagy Davis, a

Wall Street Wall Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs between Broadway in the west to South Street and the East River in the east. The term "Wall Street" has become a metonym for ...

banker with John H. Davis & Co., located at 10 Wall Street. She grew up at 24

Washington Square North Waverly Place is a narrow street in the Greenwich Village section of the New York City borough of Manhattan, that runs from Bank Street to Broadway. Waverly changes direction roughly at its midpoint at Christopher Street, turning about 120 deg ...

in New York. Her half-brother, John Ethelbert Davis (1900–1966), was married to Maude Reppelin Bouvier, a daughter of John Vernou Bouvier Jr. and sister of

Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (October 5, 1895 – February 5, 1977) was an American socialite and singer known for her reclusive and eccentric lifestyle. Known as Big Edie, she was a sister of John Vernou Bouvier III and an aunt of Jacquelin ...

(of ''

Grey Gardens ''Grey Gardens'' is a 1975 American documentary film by Albert and David Maysles. The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive, upper-class women, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived in poverty at Grey Gardens, a de ...

'' infamy) and

John Vernou Bouvier III John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier III ( ; May 19, 1891 – August 3, 1957) was an American Wall Street stockbroker and socialite. He was the father of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and of socialite Lee Radziwill, and was the father-in-law ...

(father of

Jackie Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...

and Princess

Lee Radziwill Caroline Lee Bouvier ( ), later Canfield, Radziwiłł (), and Ross (March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019), usually known as Princess Lee Radziwill, was an American socialite, public-relations executive, and interior decorator. She was the y ...

). In 1898, her father, who was as "conspicuous in society as he a in Wall Street," married for the third time, out of four overall, to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

n born Mary Ethel Jackson, a friend of Flora's who was about thirty-three years his junior.

Singing career

In December 1910, Lady Dufferin, a singer, made her public debut at Bechstein Hall in London. She appeared in a concert arranged by Mme. d'Onalda, but did not accept a fee. Lady Dufferin possessed a "charming soprano voice, and has had training in Paris and elsewhere. When her husband, then Lord Terence Blackwood, was Secretary to the British Embassy at Paris, she frequently sang in private salons in the cause of charity."

Personal life

Richard George Penn Curzon, Vanity Fair, 1896-06-04

On October 16, 1893, Flora was married to Lord Terence John Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood at the English Church of the Holy Trinity in the Avenue de l'Alma in Paris. He was the second son of

Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (21 June 182612 February 1902) was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society. In his youth he was a popular figure in the court of Queen Vict ...

and

Hariot Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava Hariot Georgina Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava (5 February 1843 – 25 October 1936) was a British peeress, known for her success in the role of "diplomatic wife," and for leading an initiative to improve medical ca ...

. His father was

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...

of in the 1870s and

Viceroy and Governor-General of India The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 19 ...

in the 1880s and his mother was known for leading an initiative to improve medical care for women in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

. They spent their honeymoon at

Walmer Castle Walmer Castle is an artillery fort originally constructed by Henry VIII in Walmer, Kent, between 1539 and 1540. It formed part of the King's Device programme to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the s ...

, which is one of Lord Dufferin's residences by virtue of his position as

Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the Cinq ...

. During their marriage, Flora was "socially prominent in the American colony in London" and they were the parents of three daughters: * Lady Doris Gwendoline Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood (1895–1984), who married Captain Cecil Bernard Gunston, MC (1885–1934) of the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremoni ...

, son of Major Bernard Gunston, formerly of the 5th Dragoon Guards, in 1922. * Lady Ursula Florence Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood (1899–1982), who married Arthur Swithin Newton Horne, formerly of

The King's Own Royal Border Regiment The King's Own Royal Border Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1959 until 2006, and was part of the King's Division. It was formed at Barnard Castle on 1 October 1959 through the amalgamation of the King's O ...

and Government Secretary of the

Federated Malay States The Federated Malay States (FMS, ms, Negeri-negeri Melayu Bersekutu, Jawi script, Jawi: ) was a federation of four protectorate, protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the United Ki ...

. * Lady Patricia Ethel Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood (1902–1983), who married Henry Russell, the former director of the

Boston Opera Company The Boston Opera Company (BOC) was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts, that was active from 1909 to 1915. History The company was founded in 1908 by Bostonian millionaire Eben Dyer Jordan, Jr. and impresario Henry Rus ...

and the son of musician Henry Russell, in 1926. During the Devonshire House Ball of 1897, then Lady Terence Blackwood, attended as Flora, Goddess of Flowers and was photographed by Walker & Boutall. Her husband went as Captain Blackwood of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

. Upon the death of Terence's older brother Archibald, Earl of Ava at the

Siege of Ladysmith The siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 2 November 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal. Background As war with the Boer republics appeared likely in June 1899, the War Office ...

in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

in 1900, he became the heir and assumed the

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but rather is used through custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some c ...

Earl of Ava himself before succeeding his father in 1902. Lord Dufferin died from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

on 7 February 1918 and was buried at the Dufferin ancestral seat of

Clandeboye Clandeboye or Clannaboy (from Irish ''Clann Aodha Buí'', "family of Hugh the Blond") was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, comprising what is now south County Antrim, north County Down, and the barony of Loughinsholin, Northern Ireland. The entity wa ...

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to th ...

. In December 1919, nearly two years after Lord Dufferin's death, the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava remarried to widower

Richard George Penn Curzon, 4th Earl Howe Richard George Penn Curzon, 4th Earl Howe, (28 April 1861 – 10 January 1929), styled Viscount Curzon between 1876 and 1900, was a British courtier and Conservative politician. He served as Treasurer of the Household between 1896 and 1900 and ...

, "one of the richest and most distinguished nobleman in England." Lord Howe was a son of

Richard Curzon-Howe, 3rd Earl Howe General Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe, 3rd Earl Howe, (14 February 1822 – 25 September 1900), was a British peer and professional soldier. Background Curzon-Howe was the second son of Richard Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl Howe, and first wife, La ...

and the former Isabella Maria Katherine Anson (a daughter of

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

The Hon. George Anson). His first wife was Lady Georgiana Spencer-Churchill, the fifth daughter of

John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough (2 June 18224 July 1883), styled Earl of Sunderland from 1822 to 1840 and Marquess of Blandford from 1840 to 1857, was a British Conservative cabinet minister, politician, peer, and noble ...

, and wife Lady Frances Vane. From his first marriage, he had one son,

Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) Places *Rural ...

, who became the 5th Earl Howe upon Lord Howe's death in 1929. Lady Howe died of heart disease following

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptom ...

and

at Penn House,

Amersham Amersham ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, in the Chiltern Hills, northwest of central London, from Aylesbury and from High Wycombe. Amersham is part of the London commuter belt. ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-eas ...

on 14 April 1925.

Descendants

Through her eldest daughter, she was the grandmother of Hermione Hamilton Gunston (b. 1923), who married Lt. Col.

Sir Walter Luttrell Colonel Sir Geoffrey Walter Fownes Luttrell (2 October 1919 – 3 April 2007) was an English landowner in Somerset and a soldier who distinguished himself during the Second World War. Luttrell was born in Melbourne, Australia, where his father ...

MC, and Sonia Helen Gunston JP (b. 1926), appointed Temporary

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 Mist ...

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

in 1967, and who married

Thomas Fairfax, 13th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Brian McKelvie Fairfax, 13th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (14 May 1923 – 8 April 1964), was a Scottish nobleman, peer, and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. Early life Thomas Brian McKelvie Fairfax was born on 14 May 1923 and ...

and had issue including Nicholas Fairfax, 14th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.

References

External links

John Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 2nd Marquess of Dufferin and Ava

photogravure Photogravure (in French ''héliogravure'') is a process for printing photographs, also sometimes used for reproductive intaglio printmaking. It is a photo-mechanical process whereby a copper plate is grained (adding a pattern to the plate) and ...

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was arguably the first national public gallery dedicated to portraits in the world when it ...

(1897 photograph)
Florence (née Davis), Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava (later Countess Howe)
at

(1897 photograph)
Florence Davis (ca. 1865-1925)
at the

New-York Historical Society The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library in New York City, along Central Park West between 76th and 77th Streets, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The society was founded in 1804 as New York's first museum ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curzon, Flora 1870s births 1962 deaths American socialites

Flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...

Dufferin and Ava Howe American emigrants to the United Kingdom