Frederica Murray, Countess of Mansfield explained

Frederica Murray, Countess of Mansfield (born Frederica Markham; 1774^[1]  - 29 April 1860), formerly Frederica Markham, was the wife of David William Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield.

Frederica was one of the seven daughters of William Markham, Archbishop of York, and his wife, the former Sarah Goddard. She also had six brothers, one of whom was Admiral John Markham.^[2] Another, George, was Dean of York.

In 1796 Murray succeeded his father, David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield, as Earl of Mansfield; he inherited Kenwood House in Camden, London.^[3] The family also had homes in Scotland and Ireland.^[4] The following year, on 16 September 1797, he married Frederica.^[5]

They had nine children:^[6]

1. Lady Frederica Louisa Murray (1800–1823), who married James Hamilton Stanhope and had children
2. Lady Elizabeth Anne Murray (1803–1880), unmarried
3. Lady Caroline Murray (1805–1873),^[7] who became Lady of the Bedchamber to Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh^[8]
4. William David (1806–1898), who succeeded as 4th Earl of Mansfield, married Louisa Ellison, and had children
5. Lady Georgina Catherine Murray (1807–1871)^[7]
6. Honourable Charles John Murray (1810–1851), who married Frances Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson, and had children
7. Honourable David Henry Murray (1811–1862), a captain in the Scots Fusilier Guards, who married Margaret Grant, Lady Gray, and had no children^[9]
8. Lady Cecilia Sarah Murray (1814–1830)
9. Lady Emily Murray (1816–1902), who married Francis Seymour, later 5th Marquess of Hertford, and had children

The countess's father, the Archbishop of York, died in 1807.^[10] The countess is thought to have been responsible for extensive works carried out on Kenwood House in the period 1813–1816, which necessitated a doubling of staff.^[11]

Notes and References

1. Book: Charles Benedict Davenport. Naval officers. 1919. Carnegie Institution of Washington.
2. Book: sir Clements Robert Markham. A naval career during the old war: a narrative of the life of admiral John Markham [by sir C.R. Markham.].. 1883.
3. Book: Urban. Sylvanus. Sylvanus Urban. The Gentleman's Magazine. 1840. 167. J. B. Nichols and Son. London. 428.
4. Book: Thom's Directory of Ireland. 1876. 377–.
5. Book: John Burke. The portrait gallery of distinguished females. 1833. E. Bull. 133–.
6. Book: Debrett's Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 1831. 1. G. Woodfall. London. 211.
7. Web site: Mansfield, Earl of (GB, 1776 & 1792). Cracrofts Peerage. 1 April 2018.
8. Book: EDMUND LODGE ESQ.. THE PEERAGE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 1855. 372–.
9. Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003. Page 1643.
10. Book: La Belle assemblée: or, Bell's court and fashionable magazine. 1832. 148–.
11. Web site: Kenwood House exhibit proving it was ladies first. Bridget Galton. Ham&High. 10 September 2012. 1 April 2018.