Mary Gargrave facts for kids

Mary Gargrave (born in 1576 and living until around 1640) was an important person who worked for Anne of Denmark, the Queen of England and Scotland. People who work for a royal family are called courtiers.

Life at Court

Mary Gargrave became a maid of honour to Queen Anne in 1603 or 1604, just before the Queen's coronation. A maid of honour was a young, unmarried woman who served the Queen. This job was created in 1603, and there were six maids of honour, along with a "mother of the maids" and other helpers. Mary's companions included Anne Carey and Mary Middlemore. She served the Queen for 16 years until Queen Anne passed away in 1619.

Royal Events and Gifts

In 1605, there was talk that Mary might marry a nobleman named Robert Bertie, but he married someone else.

Mary Gargrave was part of the lively court life. Rowland Whyte, a writer of the time, mentioned that the maids of honour often danced at Hampton Court Palace. They danced in the Queen's special room, sometimes with important visitors like the Count of Vaudémont from France.

Mary was important enough to give the Queen New Year's Day gifts. In 1608 or 1609, she gave Queen Anne a very fancy and expensive petticoat. It was decorated with gold, silver, and colorful silks. Queen Anne even asked Mary to buy fans to send to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who lived in Heidelberg.

Important Journeys and Meetings

When Prince Henry, the Queen's son, died in 1612, Mary Gargrave received special mourning clothes. In 1613, Queen Anne traveled to Bath for a special spa visit. During this trip, she stopped in Wells, Somerset. The mayor of Wells, William Bull, hosted a dinner for the Queen's household, and Mary Gargrave was among the four maids of honour who attended.

In December 1617, John Finet, who managed court ceremonies, described a visit from Isabelle Brûlart, the wife of the French ambassador. She arrived at Denmark House in London. Mary Gargrave, along with other ladies of the Queen's court, joined her before she was taken to meet the Queen.

After the Queen's Death

After Queen Anne died in 1619, there was much discussion about what would happen to her servants. Mary Gargrave was supposed to receive a yearly payment of £200 and a one-time payment of £1000. She was also given protection from lawsuits. Mary never married and relied on this payment from her service to the Queen, though it was not always paid regularly.

Mary's Family Background

Mary Gargrave was the daughter of Sir Cotton Gargrave (1540–1588) and his second wife, Anne Waterton. Her family had homes in Kinsley, Hemsworth, and Nostell Priory, which are all near Wakefield. Her brother, Richard Gargrave, was knighted by King James in 1603. Even though King James and Queen Anne passed close to her family's home on their way to London from Scotland, there is no record of Mary meeting them at that time.

Her Sister Anne

Mary's sister, Anne (who died in 1634), married Thomas Venables. Later, she married Sir Edward Bushell, who was a royal equerry (a person who looks after the royal horses). Sir Edward Bushell was a cousin of Robert and Thomas Wintour, who were involved in the Gunpowder Plot. He wrote to Robert Cecil to say he was innocent. Another cousin, Corbett Bushell, worked for Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia. Corbett Bushell was badly hurt in a fight in 1613 in Heidelberg.