Alberta Montagu, Countess of Sandwich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Countess of Sandwich
|
|
|---|---|
Lady Sandwich (left) with her husband and Mrs. John Davis in 1921
|
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alberta Sturges
7 September 1877 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 23 October 1951 (aged 74) Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, U.K. |
| Spouse | George Montagu, 9th Earl of Sandwich |
| Children | Victor Montagu, 10th Earl of Sandwich The Hon. William Drogo Sturges Montagu Lady Mary Faith Montagu Lady Elizabeth Montagu |
| Parents | William Sturges Betty MacLeod |
Alberta Montagu, Countess of Sandwich (born Sturges; 7 September 1877 – 23 October 1951) was an American heiress and writer. She became the wife of George Montagu, 9th Earl of Sandwich.
Like many wealthy young American women from the Gilded Age (a time of rapid economic growth in the U.S.), she married into the British aristocracy. She then took on the important role of managing her husband's family home, Hinchingbrooke House. Lady Sandwich was a talented musician, writer, and linguist. She was also a close friend and follower of the Hindu monk and philosopher Swami Vivekananda. She had met him as a child when he stayed at her family's home in New York. Lady Sandwich hosted Vivekananda in Chicago, New York, and Paris. She also traveled with him to Rome and wrote to him throughout her life.
Early Life and Family
Lady Sandwich was born Alberta Sturges in Chicago on 7 September 1877. Her mother was Betty MacLeod from New York City, and her father was William Sturges from Chicago. Her family was well-known and wealthy. Her maternal grandfather was a Scottish immigrant. Her paternal grandfather, who was of English descent, earned a lot of money through trade.
Alberta was christened in New York, where her family lived. In 1880, she moved with her family to Paris. A few years later, her father passed away. After his death, her mother married Francis H. Leggett, a wholesale grocer from New York.
In 1890, her stepfather built a large estate called Ridgely Manor in Stone Ridge, New York. Her aunt, Josephine MacLeod, and her stepfather were friends with the Hindu monk and philosopher Swami Vivekananda. Her stepfather later became the first president of the Vedanta Society of New York. Lady Sandwich and her mother also became friends and followers of Vivekananda. They built a small cottage for Hindu monks on their estate. Alberta and her mother often visited the monks there. They hosted Vivekananda three times, with his last visit lasting ten weeks.
In 1895, Alberta and her brother, Hollister, went to boarding school in Germany. While she was studying there, Lady Sandwich and Vivekananda wrote letters to each other. She later traveled with him to Rome and to the Vatican City. She also visited him in India. On her twenty-third birthday, Vivekananda wrote a poem for her. She and her family also hosted Vivekananda in Chicago and Paris.
Lady Sandwich was good friends with Mildred Barnes Bliss. Both were talented musicians and spoke several languages fluently. Alberta also enjoyed bookbinding and was a skilled writer. She wrote many letters to her relatives and kept diaries throughout her life.
Her stepfather later moved the family to London for business and social reasons. As a member of a rich family, Lady Sandwich was officially introduced to society as a debutante during the London social season of 1901. Even though she had a grand introduction, she was not very interested in society life.
Married Life
On 25 July 1905, Alberta married George Montagu. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament (a person elected to represent a group of people in the British Parliament). The wedding took place in an Anglican church in London. At the wedding, she wore the Montagu family tiara. She wore the tiara again for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
Lady Sandwich and her husband spent their honeymoon in Venice for a month. Then they sailed to the United States and stayed at Ridgely Manor in September 1905.
The Montagus had four children:
- Alexander Victor Edward Paulet Montagu (born 1906 – died 1995); he became the 10th Earl of Sandwich. He later gave up his title to become a Member of Parliament. His son, John, later inherited the title.
- The Hon. William Drogo Sturges Montagu (born 1908 – died 1940); he passed away during World War II.
- Lady Mary Faith Montagu (born 1911 – died 1983)
- Lady Elizabeth Montagu (born 1917 – died 2006)
In 1916, her husband became the 9th Earl of Sandwich after his uncle passed away. At this time, they moved into Hinchingbrooke House, the family's historic home. When her husband became an Earl, she received the title The Right Honourable The Countess of Sandwich. A famous artist named Ambrose McEvoy painted her official portrait as a Countess.
Lady Sandwich was described as being "pure-minded." She found some aspects of British society challenging. For a period, she was unwell and stayed in bed for fourteen years. During this time, her husband and a nurse helped raise their children. After she recovered, she often traveled between the United States and England on the RMS Queen Mary with her children.
In 1920, she and her mother visited Flanders. She wrote a lot about the damage the region suffered during World War I.
Lady Sandwich passed away on 23 October 1951 in Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire.
Legacy
A large collection of Lady Sandwich's letters and diaries are kept at Mapperton House.
Images for kids
-
Lady Sandwich (left) with her husband and Mrs. John Davis in 1921
-
Ridgely Manor, where Lady Sandwich lived after her mother's second marriage.
-
Alberta (center) with Swami Vivekananda, her mother, and her aunt at Ridgely
