Maria Coventry, Countess of Coventry facts for kids
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Maria Coventry, Countess of Coventry (born Maria Gunning; August 15, 1732 – September 30, 1760) was a very famous Irish beauty. She was also a popular socialite in London during the time of King George II. A socialite is someone who is well-known in fashionable society. Sadly, she died young because of lead and mercury poisoning. These harmful substances were in the beauty products she used.
Maria's Early Life
Maria was born in Hemingford Grey, England. She was the oldest child of John Gunning and Bridget Bourke. Her family later moved back to their home in County Roscommon, Ireland. They also spent time in Dublin.
Some stories say that Maria and her sister Elizabeth became actresses. This was because their family was not very rich. They might have worked in Dublin theaters. However, other stories say this is not true. They point out that a famous actress, Peg Woffington, arrived in Dublin after Maria and Elizabeth had already left for England.
Becoming Famous
In October 1748, a big party was held at Dublin Castle. Maria and Elizabeth did not have fancy clothes for the party. So, Thomas Sheridan, a theater manager, gave them costumes. Maria wore a Lady Macbeth costume, and Elizabeth wore a Juliet costume.
They met the Earl of Harrington, who was an important leader in Ireland. He was impressed by them. By 1750, their mother convinced him to give her money. She used this money to take Maria and Elizabeth back to England.
In England, Maria and Elizabeth became very famous for their beauty. People talked about them everywhere. On December 2, 1750, they were presented at the royal court in London. This was a very important event. Even the London newspapers wrote about it. Maria was known for saying things without thinking. She once told the elderly King George II that she wanted to see a royal funeral. Luckily, the King found it very funny!
Within a year, Elizabeth married the Duke of Hamilton. In March 1752, Maria married the 6th Earl of Coventry. She then became the Countess of Coventry.
Maria's Death
Maria died young, at just 27 years old, on September 30, 1760. Her death was caused by lead poisoning. This came from the makeup she used.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was popular for women to make their skin look very white. They used a makeup called Venetian ceruse. This makeup had lead in it. They also used red blush on their cheeks.
The lead in the makeup was very harmful. It caused skin problems. To cover these problems, women would put on even more makeup. This made the poisoning worse over time. Maria became known as a "victim of cosmetics" because of this.
