Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Duchess of Bedford
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Portrait of Lady Anne Egerton by Enoch Seeman
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| Born | c. 1705 |
| Died | 16 June 1762 |
| Spouse(s) |
Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford
(m. 1725; died 1732) |
| Children | Frederick Villiers, Viscount Villiers George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey |
| Parent(s) | Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater Lady Elizabeth Churchill |
Anne Russell, Duchess of Bedford (born around 1705 – died June 16, 1762) was an important woman in British history. She was first known as Lady Anne Egerton. She became the Duchess of Bedford when she married Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford. After he passed away, she married William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey. Anne was also the mother of the 4th Earl of Jersey.
Contents
Who Was Anne Russell?
Anne Russell was born around 1705. She was the daughter of Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater. Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Churchill. Lady Elizabeth was the daughter of two very famous people: John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. This means Anne had a very important family background!
Her Family Background
Anne had a brother named John Egerton, Viscount Brackley. Sadly, he died when he was only 14 years old. After Anne's mother passed away in 1714, her father married again. His second wife was Lady Rachel Russell. She was the daughter of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford. Lady Rachel was much younger than Anne's father. They had seven children together. These children were Anne's half-siblings. Among them were John Egerton, 2nd Duke of Bridgewater and Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater.
Her First Marriage
On April 22, 1725, Anne married her stepmother's brother. This was Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford. He had become a Duke in 1711. Their marriage was not very successful, and they did not have any children. The Duke also had some money problems. He passed away on October 23, 1732, when he was only 24 years old. He died in Corunna, Spain. After his death, Anne became known as the Dowager Duchess. This means she was the widow of a Duke. The title of Duke then went to her husband's brother.
Helping Children in Need
On January 7, 1730, Anne was one of the first people to sign an important document. This was called the Ladies' Petition for the Establishment of the Foundling Hospital. This was a special effort organized by Thomas Coram. The goal was to create a hospital to help babies who might otherwise be abandoned. It was a very kind and important project to protect young children.
Her Second Marriage and Children
On June 23, 1733, Anne married again. She married William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey. Their wedding took place at St. James's Church in Westminster.
Anne and William had two sons:
- Frederick William Villiers, Viscount Villiers (1734–1742). Sadly, he died when he was a child.
- George Bussy Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey (1735–1805). He grew up, married Frances Twysden, and had his own children.
