Rosalind Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn explained

Honorific-Prefix:Her Grace
The Duchess of Abercorn
Birth Place:London, England
Death Place:Westminster, London, England
Parents:Charles George Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan
Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox
Children:Lady Mary Gilmour
Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer
Lady Katherine Seymour
James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn
Lord Claud Hamilton

Dame Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn, (26 February 1869 – 18 January 1958; née Lady Rosalind Bingham) was a British aristocrat and the Duchess of Abercorn by marriage.

Family and personal life

She was born on 26 February 1869 to Charles George Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan, and Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox.

She married James, Marquess of Hamilton, eldest son of The 2nd Duke of Abercorn, on 1 November 1894 at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge.

They had five children:

Community work

When the Duchess of Abercorn and her husband left Northern Ireland in 1945, it was reported “her willingness to help all charitable and other organisations for the benefit of the community has endeared her to all.” [2]

Girl Guides

She was Deputy Chief Commissioner of Ulster Girl Guides from 1921 to 1925.[3] In 1925 she established the Duchess of Abercorn's Fund for Girl Guides.[4] She was Chief Commissioner of Ulster Girl Guides between 1926 and 1945.[5] She was recipient of the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding's highest adult honour, in 1937.[6]

War work

The Duchess of Abercorn's “Ulster Gift Fund” established in 1939 was affiliated to the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance. It was instrumental in coordinating the efforts of 214 Hospital Supply Depots in the making of over 3,500 supplies, plus socks, mufflers, mittens and helmets for the war effort.[7] [8]

Other

Honours

Rosalind, Duchess of Abercorn, was invested as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1936.[11]

She was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) by Queen's University, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, in 1944.[11] [12]

Escutcheon:The arms of The Duke of Abercorn (Quarterly: 1st & 4th, gules three cinquefoils pierced ermine (for Hamilton); 2nd & 3rd, argent, Argent, a lymphad with the sails furled proper, flagged gules and oars in action sable (for Arran) in the point of honour and over all, an inescutcheon azure with charged three fleur-de-lys or, and surmounted by a French ducal coronet (for Châtellerault)) impaled with the arms of The Earl of Lucan (Azure, a Bend cotised between six Crosses-Patée Or).

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Queen Mother in pictures . 2023-06-28 . www.telegraph.co.uk. 30 March 2012 .
  2. News: 1945-09-11 . Londonderry Sentinel . . Derry's Farewell . 3 . Derry, Northern Ireland .
  3. News: 1921-06-25 . Northern Whig . . Ulster Girl Guide Council . 6 . Belfast, Northern Ireland .
  4. News: 1925-10-22 . Northern Whig . . Lord Mayoress' Concert . 5 . Belfast, Northern Ireland.
  5. News: 1938-10-31 . Northern Whig . . The Girl Guide Conference . 10 . Belfast, Northern Ireland .
  6. News: 1937-04-08 . Northern Whig . . Duchess of Abercorn . 13 . Belfast, Northern Ireland .
  7. News: 1940-02-17 . Ballymena Weekly Telegraph . . Hospital Supply Depots . 4 . Ballymena, Northern Ireland .
  8. News: 1939-12-23 . Ballymena Weekly Telegraph . . Zeal and Industry . 2 . Ballymena, Northern Ireland .
  9. News: 1913-07-09 . Belfast News Letter . . Summer Fete . 6 . Belfast, Northern Ireland .
  10. News: 1936-06-22 . Northern Whig . . Overseas League Group in London . 11 . Belfast, Northern Ireland .
  11. Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 1, page 6. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition.
  12. News: 1944-05-25 . Belfast Newsletter . . Duchess of Abercorn LLD . 2 . Belfast, Northern Ireland .