Elizabeth Germain facts for kids
Lady Elizabeth "Betty" Germain (1680 – December 1769) was a very rich English noblewoman. She was also a courtier, which means she spent time at the royal court. Lady Betty was known for being kind and generous, helping others, and collecting old and interesting items. She also wrote letters to important writers and politicians of her time.
Contents
Her Life Story
Early Life and Marriage
Lady Elizabeth "Betty" Germain was born Elizabeth Berkeley. She was the second daughter of Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley and his wife, Elizabeth.
In 1706, Lady Betty married Sir John Germain, 1st Baronet. He was much older than her. Sir John had been married before to Mary Mordaunt, Baroness Mordaunt. Lady Betty was known for her good sense, and she made their marriage a happy one.
A Generous Widow
Lady Betty and Sir John had three children, but sadly, all of them died young. When Sir John passed away, he left Lady Betty a large estate called Drayton in Northamptonshire. He also left her a lot of other property he had inherited from his first wife.
Sir John hoped Lady Betty would marry again and have children to inherit her wealth. But Lady Betty chose to remain a widow for more than 50 years. She kept her husband's wishes in mind. She left the Drayton estate and a large sum of money to George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville. He was the second son of her friends, the Duke and Duchess of Dorset. Lord George Sackville then took the name Germain.
In 1730, Lady Betty received a scary anonymous letter at her home in London. It demanded money. The King, George II, heard about it and ordered that Lady Betty be protected by soldiers.
Homes and Later Years
Lady Betty spent most of her time as a widow living at Knole. This was a large country house near Sevenoaks in Kent, where her friends the Duke and Duchess of Dorset lived. She also had a house in London in St. James's Square. Here, she welcomed politicians from all different groups.
She only visited Drayton House sometimes. She kept it much as her husband had left it. Drayton House was very old, built in the 14th century. It had been beautifully updated in the early 1700s. Lady Betty made sure to keep the gardens just as her husband had designed them.
Lady Betty passed away at her London home on December 16, 1769. She had two nieces, Mary and Anne, whose parents died young. Lady Betty raised them. Mary married Vere Beauclerk, 1st Baron Vere. Anne married Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple. Lady Betty left most of her remaining money to Lady Vere. She left a very large amount of money, £120,000, in her will.
Her Impact and Legacy
A Collector of Treasures
Lady Betty loved collecting things. When Horace Walpole visited Drayton House in 1763, he said it was "covered with portraits, crammed with old china." After she died, many of her interesting items were sold.
She inherited a collection of ancient cameos (carved gems with raised designs) and intaglios (carved gems with designs cut into them). She offered to sell this collection to the British Museum for £10,000. When they said no, she gave them in 1762 to her great-niece, Lady Mary Beauclerk. These gems were later described in special books with detailed pictures.
Kind and Influential
Lady Betty was known for being kind and generous. For example, she gave £500 to the Foundling Hospital in 1746. This hospital cared for abandoned children. She also gave £100 to John Wilkes when he was in prison, showing her political support.
Friends in High Places
Jonathan Swift, a famous writer, was a chaplain for Lady Betty's father. Lady Betty and Swift remained friends for many years. They often talked about politics, even though they had different views. Many of their letters are found in Swift's published works. One letter from Lady Betty defending her friend Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk is especially famous. Even after their letters stopped, Lady Betty kept a portrait of Swift in her rooms at Knole.
Another writer, Edward Young, dedicated one of his poems to Lady Betty. Some people even thought Lady Betty herself wrote a poem making fun of another famous writer, Alexander Pope. Her letters and other writings are kept at Drayton House and provide a lot of information about her life.
A special brass plaque remembering Lady Betty is located at St Peter's Church, Lowick, near her husband Sir John Germain's tomb.
