Biography of Louisa Rous -1843

Louisa Rous was born to John Rous 1st Earl Stradbrooke.

On 31 Oct 1771 [her grandfather] John Rous 5th Baronet (age 44) died. His son [her father] John Rous 1st Earl Stradbrooke (age 21) succeeded 6th Baronet Stradbrooke of Henham in Suffolk.

In 1824 Spencer de Horsey (age 34) and Louisa Rous were married. She the daughter of John Rous 1st Earl Stradbrooke (age 73).

On 24 Dec 1824 [her daughter] Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan was born to [her husband] Spencer de Horsey (age 34) and Louisa Rous at 6 Charles Street, Berkeley Square.

In 1826 [her son] Colonel William de Horsey was born to [her husband] Spencer de Horsey (age 36) and Louisa Rous.

In 1827 [her son] Admiral Algernon de Horsey was born to [her husband] Spencer de Horsey (age 37) and Louisa Rous.

On 27 Aug 1827 [her father] John Rous 1st Earl Stradbrooke (age 77) died. His son [her brother] John Rous 2nd Earl Stradbrooke (age 33) succeeded 2nd Earl Stradbrooke, 2nd Viscount Dunwich, 7th Baronet Stradbrooke of Henham in Suffolk.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. After my gay season of 1842 and the innumerable balls and parties which my dear mother seemed to enjoy as much as I did, we went to Cowes, where we spent a delightful month. Mamma gave a ball for me at the King's House, a former residence of George IV., which we had taken that year; it is now pulled down and replaced by a hideous row of houses, which I regard as an eyesore when I remember the house where I spent so many happy days.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. From Cowes we went to stay with the Ailesburys at Savernake, and then to Badminton, where the Beauforts had a large family party. The church was attached to the house, and one actually walked out of the library into the Parish Church, where the roomy Beaufort pew was well warmed by a fire. I remember going with the Duchess, my mother, and Lord Cantelupe (age 27) to see Berkeley Castle [Map], a most interesting but very uncomfortable draughty old place. I afterwards heard that Colonel Berkeley (age 55), whose name figured in certain scandals of the Regency, had spent much of his time there with the numerous frail ladies who found him irresistible.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. My mother presented me at Court in February 1842, and shortly afterwards I went with my parents to the first fancy dress ball given by Queen Victoria (age 22).

Our dresses were lovely. My [her husband] father (age 52) wore the uniform of a Garde Francaise, and my mother was dressed as a Court lady of the same period. I went as a Louis XV. shepherdess. Mamma took endless pains in seeing that my costume was perfectly designed and carried out, and the result amply repaid her. I was very pleased with my own reflection when at last I was ready after what seemed hours of preparation. My hair was exquisitely poudre and my beautiful pink and white brocade gown, garlanded with roses, looked as though it had actually belonged to my prototype at Versailles. The Queen (age 22) and Prince Albert (age 22) complimented mamma on my appearance, and told her that my dress was one of the prettiest in the ballroom. I wore my "Shepherdess" costume at Stafford House St James' in the following July when the Royal Ball was reproduced.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. After my dear mother's death I visited a great deal with my [her husband] father (age 53), and one year we went for the shooting to Lord Huntingfield's place, Heveningham Hall, Suffolk. I slept in the bedroom once occupied by the famous Chevalier d'Éon, who had been a frequent guest at Heveningham, and about whom there were many stories told. It was said that the Chevalier was the one and only lover of cross-grained Queen Charlotte, and that her son, George IV, was the result of their intimacy, although his paternity was of course admitted by King George III. The animosity always displayed by the old Queen to her grand-daughter, Princess Charlotte, was supposed to arise from the fact that as heiress to the throne she innocently dispossessed the other Royal Dukes from the succession. It is certainly a fact that the Princess's untimely death in childbirth was attributed to foul play at the time, and when later the accoucheur Sir Richard Croft, committed suicide, all classes of society were loud in condemnation of the Queen and the Prince Regent. I do not vouch for the accuracy of Queen Charlotte's love affair. I only give the Heveningham gossip as I heard it.

Note A. D'Eon was undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and mysterious personages of the eighteenth century I was naturally interested in these somewhat scandalous stories.

The Chevalier died when he was eighty-three years of age, after a most extraordinary career. He was at one time aide-de-camp to the Comte de Broglie, and fought in the French army; but later on for some mysterious reason he discarded man's attire and passed as a woman for thirty-four years. Often when I went into my room I half expected to see a ghostly figure seated at the escritoire where the Chevalier wrote his secret cipher communications, and I wondered whether the brocade crowns and frills and furbelows that he wore as a woman had ever hung in the old wardrobe which I used.

My father and I also stayed with the Westmorlands at Apethorpe Hall; we visited the Earl (age 38) and Countess of Chichester (age 36) at Stanmer Park, and we were welcome guests at Cadlands, Silverlands, Chiswick House, West Park, and my uncle Lord Stradbroke's place, Henham Hall, which was afterwards burnt down.

I had visited Deene Park, Northamptonshire [Map] with my mother in 1842, but I must deal with my future home in the chapter devoted to Deene and its associations.

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In 1843 Louisa Rous died of scarlet fever.

                    Adeline Horsey Recollections. On March 23, 1843, I experienced the first real sorrow of my happy girlhood, for my beloved mother died after an attack of scarlet fever.                

                    The blow was a terrible one. Mamma was a beautiful, charming woman, and she was loved by every one who knew her. It seemed hard to bow to the decree of a Providence that deprived us of her, for she was so helpful, so interested in all we did, the most perfect wife and mother, and the most sympathetic of friends.
                
                    One of my treasured possessions is a gold cross containing a relic of St. Stephen which she once gave me; I often wear it, and I then always feel very "near to her, and I am convinced that her gentle spirit has sustained and comforted me in many sorrows I have experienced.

On 20 May 1860 [her former husband] Spencer de Horsey (age 70) died.

Ancestors of Louisa Rous -1843