Martha Bruce, Countess of Elgin and Kincardine facts for kids

Martha Bruce, Countess of Elgin and Kincardine (born Martha White in 1739, died June 21, 1810), was an important figure in British history. She was known as Lady Elgin for most of her life. Martha was the wife of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin, a Scottish nobleman. She was also the mother of Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, who is famous for bringing the Elgin Marbles to Britain. Later in her life, Lady Elgin became the governess (a private teacher and caretaker) for Princess Charlotte, who was the granddaughter of King George III. Princess Charlotte was expected to become queen one day.

Lady Elgin's Family Life

Martha White was the only child of Thomas White, a banker from Scotland and London. She married Charles Bruce, the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, in Edinburgh on June 1, 1759. Together, they had eight children.

Her Children and Their Lives

Their children were:

• Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin (1766–1841), who became well-known for bringing ancient Greek sculptures, called the Elgin Marbles, from Athens to Britain.
• Lady Martha Bruce (1760–1767).
• Lady Janet Bruce (1761–1767).
• William Bruce, Lord Bruce (born and died in 1763).
• William Bruce, 6th Earl of Elgin (1764–1771).
• Charles Andrew Bruce (1768–1810), who served as a Governor of Prince of Wales's Island (now Penang).
• James Bruce (1769–1798), who was briefly a Member of Parliament.
• Lady Charlotte Bruce (1771–1816), who married Captain (later Admiral) Philip Charles Durham.

In 1762, a famous artist named Allan Ramsay painted Lady Elgin's portrait. He also painted King George III that same year.

Facing Sadness and Loss

Lady Elgin experienced much sadness in her family life. Her first son, William Robert, lived for only ten weeks. Her two oldest daughters, Martha and Janet, both passed away in 1767 when they were young children. In 1771, Lady Elgin became a widow when her husband died. Just two months later, her second son, also named William Robert and the new Lord Elgin, died at the age of seven.

Her remaining four children, three sons and a daughter, all grew up. However, in 1798, her youngest surviving son, James, drowned at age 29 while crossing the River Don in Yorkshire. His horse was swept away by the river.

Lady Elgin's Role as Royal Governess

In 1799, King George III asked Lady Elgin to become the "Gouvernante" (which means governess or guardian) for his granddaughter, Princess Charlotte. Princess Charlotte was the only child of the Prince of Wales (who later became King George IV). She was seen as the likely future queen of Britain.

Lady Elgin and Princess Charlotte became very close. They lived together in Warwick House in Westminster, which was near Carlton House. However, in 1804, Princess Charlotte's father insisted that Lady Elgin retire. He said she was too old, but it was probably because he was upset that Lady Elgin had taken Charlotte to visit her grandfather, King George, without his permission.

Praise for Her Work

Many people respected Lady Elgin's work. A famous book about noble families, Burke's Peerage, said that she "filled, with great credit to herself, the important station of governess to her royal highness the deeply-deplored Princess Charlotte of Wales." This means she did a very good job in her important role.

An obituary (a notice of someone's death) for Princess Charlotte in 1818 described Lady Elgin as "a very worthy and pious Countess." Lady Elgin's own obituary in The Gentleman's Magazine said she spent her life "in the uniform exercise of piety and benevolence." It also mentioned that her "public and private charities were unbounded," meaning she gave a lot to help others. Lady Elgin was buried at St Mary's, Twickenham.

Lady Elgin's Descendants

Lady Elgin had many important descendants who continued to serve their country.

Notable Grandchildren

Her grandchildren included:

• James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin (1811–1863), who served as Governor of Jamaica, Governor General of British North America (Canada), and Viceroy of India.
• Sir Frederick Wright-Bruce (1814–1867), who was the British Ambassador to China and the United States.
• Thomas Charles Bruce (1825–1890), a lawyer and politician.

Important Great-Grandchildren

Among her great-grandchildren was Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin (1849–1917), who also became a Viceroy of India. The current 11th Earl of Elgin (born in 1924) is her great-great-great-grandson.