Lady Grizel Winifred Louisa Cochrane (later, Hamilton) (1880–1977) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

and Scottish aristocrat. She was the daughter of Winifred, Countess of Dundonald and

Douglas Cochrane, 12th Earl of Dundonald Lieutenant General Douglas Mackinnon Baillie Hamilton Cochrane, 12th Earl of Dundonald, (29 October 1852 – 12 April 1935), styled Lord Cochrane between 1860 and 1885, was a Scottish representative peer and a British Army general. Early life ...

and the wife of Lt.-Col. Hon. Ralph Gerard Alexander Hamilton, Master of Belhaven, who died in action during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, she was a famous huntress.

International travel

Along with her husband, she was a keen huntress, to which, she'd often travel to Kenya, Africa to embark on her big game hunting. Some of the animals she killed were; hippopotamus, wildebeest, leopard, rhinoceros, waterbuck, cape buffalo, her hunts were extensively covered in popular magazines and newspaper articles.

Personal life

Born in,

St George Hanover Square St George Hanover Square was a civil parish created in 1724 in the Liberty of Westminster, Middlesex, which was later part of the metropolitan area of London, England. The creation of the parish accompanied the building of St George's, Hanove ...

, London, she spent most of her childhood at

Gwrych Castle Gwrych Castle ( cy, Castell Gwrych meaning "hedged castle") (Originally spelt as 'Gwrŷch') is a Grade I listed 19th-century country house near Abergele in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The castle and 236 acre estate are owned by a charity, an ...

Abergele Abergele (; ; ) is a market town and community, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, in Conwy County Borough and in the historic county of Denbighshire. Its northern suburb of Pensarn lies on ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. On the 1st of March 1904 (which landed on

Saint David's Day Saint David's Day ( cy, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant or ; ), or the Feast of Saint David, is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March, the date of Saint David's death in 589 AD. The feast has been regularly celebrat ...

), Grizel married Ralph Gerard Alexander Hamilton, Master of Belhaven at

Henry VII Chapel The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of King Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates a ...

, London. Their marriage was the first ever to be held at the venue during lent, breaking a long held tradition. The service was arranged by her mother, Winifred, Countess of Dundonald. the event was kept small due to the chapel's limited space and quiet due to it being lent, the altar was decorated with annunciation lilies. Hanging over the stall was the naval flag of

Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Marquess of Maranhão (14 December 1775 – 31 October 1860), styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a British naval flag officer of the Royal Navy, mercenary and Radical politician. He was a ...

(who was her great grandfather), on the flag rested a wreath tied with a white satin bow. Her father was absent from her wedding due to his military duties in Canada, in-lieu of this, her uncle Thomas Cochrane walked her down the isle and then her mother gave her away. In the last year of WWI, Grizel became a widow when her husband was killed in action on Easter Sunday by a shell on the Western front, this affected her greatly as she never remarried. In 1933, she was invited to open a £30,000 (~£1.7 million in 2021 after inflation) swimming pool at

Rhos-on-Sea Rhos-on-Sea ( cy, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos) is a seaside resort and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,593 at the 2011 census. It adjoins Colwyn Bay and is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late ...

.Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, Saturday 15 July 1933 - https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000640/19330715/215/0007

References

{{Authority control 1880 births 1979 deaths 20th-century Welsh women 20th-century Welsh people British socialites Daughters of British earls