Caroline Stuart, Countess of Seafield facts for kids
Caroline Stuart, Countess of Seafield (born Caroline Henrietta Stuart; 30 June 1830 – 6 October 1911), styled The Countess Dowager from 1884 to 1911, was a member of the Scottish aristocracy. She was proprietor of the Seafield Estates following the death of her son in 1884, and has been described as "The last of the great feudal chiefs".
Contents
Genealogy
The Honourable Caroline Henrietta Stuart was the youngest child of Robert Walter, 11th Lord Blantyre, of the family of the Stuarts of Minto. Aged 20, on 12 August 1850 she married John Charles Ogilvy-Grant who, then styled Lord Reidhaven and Master of Grant, was heir to the Seafield and Findlater estates. Their only child, Ian Charles was born 7 October 1851. On 30 July 1853 John Charles succeeded his father as Earl of Seafield and Chief of the Clan Grant. Her husband and son were to die within a few years of each other: Lord Seafield on 18 February 1881 and Ian Charles on 31 March 1884.
As he was unmarried and had no children, by a will made c.1882 Ian Charles left his mother as the heir to his estates. Taking the style of The Countess Dowager, Lady Seafield was proprietor of the Seafield and Grant Estates until her death. Meanwhile the 8th Earl's titles of honour were inherited by his uncle, James Ogilvy-Grant, 9th Earl of Seafield who was otherwise the nearest male heir. The Seafield title was thus for some generations separated from the lands and properties that had maintained it. This situation had been made possible because the 7th Earl, John Charles, had completed the legal procedure of disentailing the estate. Lady Seafield died on 6 October 1911. Her funeral was held on 12 October. Her coffin rests, with those of her husband and son, in the Seafield Mausoleum in the Duthil Old Parish Church and Churchyard.
As Countess of Seafield
In the section 'Public and Social Work' in the tribute volume published after her death, the editors highlighted Lady Seafield's support for her husband's direction of his estates. Mention was made of her interest in his patronage of individuals via appointments in the established church and through educational bursaries, for his programme of afforestation and: 'in general improvements effected throughout the estate, his lordship had always the affectionate advice and warm interest of the Countess'.
As Countess Dowager of Seafield
After the deaths of John Charles and Ian Charles, Lady Seafield's priorities as Countess Dowager, besides overseeing the management of her estates, were to 'take steps for the perpetuation of (her son's) memory and that of her husband in schemes of enduring utility'. In addition the Dowager Countess had the Church of Scotland parish church of Inverallan, located in Grantown-on-Spey, rebuilt by her architect: she laid the memorial stone on 1 May 1886 on the occasion of the dedication of the building for worship. Memorial tablets to her husband and son were presented to this and all the other parishes churches within the estate.
Other biographical headings from the memorial Tribute are:
- Head of a Great Estate
- Lady Seafield and Fishing Interests
- Religious and Philanthropic Work
- A Gracious Hostess
- Lady Seafield and the (Armed) Services
- Chieftainess of Clan Grant
- Some Public Activities
Assessments
- Lord Strathspey, in his A History of Clan Grant (1983) wrote that, while 'She had enormous power in her lifetime', by the time she died 'very few of the inhabitants actually knew her at all, since she did not go round much.' He did give credit, however, to her management of the estates: 'During her life she kept the estates intact and tried to pay off the debt, which, in fact, she nearly succeeding in doing - an achievement much to her credit.' Lord Strathspey was particularly critical of the Countess Dowager's policy of keeping at a long distance those who inherited her son's titles of honour: James Ogilvy-Grant, 9th Earl of Seafield, Francis William Ogilvy-Grant, 10th Earl of Seafield and James Ogilvy-Grant, 11th Earl of Seafield. 'All family contacts with her ... were through her law agent. Through him she sent various members of the family periodic small remittances ... and they were, it would thus appear, paid to keep away.'
Lady Seafield and the Seafield Mausoleum, Duthil
After Duthil Parish Church was reconstructed in the 1830s, and a former family vaunt was closed, Francis William Ogilvy-Grant, 6th Earl of Seafield had a new self-standing Mausoleum built 1837-39 immediately beside the church in the churchyard. The coffins of both John Charles and Ian Charles were interred here and the Countess Dowager then had a second, twin, Mausoleum built, located just outside the existing churchyard. Here James Ogilvy-Grant, 9th Earl of Seafield was interred in 1888.
The Rev. James Bain, minister of the Church of Scotland parish of Duthil 1877-1911 sought to prevent the building of the second Mausoleum, claiming the first was insanitary as the coffins it held were stored above ground, unburied. After considerable controversy, his claims were shown to be wholly unfounded. His pamphlet, 'The Seafield Mausoleums and Duthil Churchyard case. A specimen of how officials tamper with the law in Scotland when they want to serve the great. Correspondence between J. Bain, Henry D. Littlejohn and Sir William Harcourt,' (Elgin, 1885) contained his objections.
The funeral of the Rt. Hon. Caroline, Countess Dowager of Seafield was held on 12 October 1911. This was the last use of the original Seafield Mausoleum. Having earlier had the second Mausoleum built, by her will Lady Seafield closed the first. A plaque bolted across its door reads: "In terms of the Testamentary Writings of Caroline Stuart, Countess Dowager of Seafield, this Mausoleum has been closed and is not to be used for further interments. February 1913." The Tribute volume of 1911 contained an account of proceedings at the Mausoleum at the end of her funeral.: $
