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Biography of Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster 1882-1953

Before 07 Feb 1882 [her father] William Lawrence Breese of New York (age 28) and [her mother] Marie Louise Parsons (age 26) were married.

On 07 Feb 1882 Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster was born to William Lawrence Breese of New York (age 28) and Marie Louise Parsons (age 26).

On 06 Dec 1905 Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 38) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 23) were married at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. Dollar Princess. He the son of Gilbert Henry Heathcote Drummond Willoughby 1st Earl Ancaster (age 75) and Evelyn Elizabeth Gordon Countess Ancaster (age 59).

In 1906 [her daughter] Catherine Mary Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond was born to [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 38) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 23).

On 08 Dec 1907 [her son] Gilbert James Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 3rd Earl Ancaster was born to [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 40) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 25).

In 1909 [her daughter] Priscilla Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond Lady Aird was born to [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 41) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 26).

On 24 Dec 1910 [her father-in-law] Gilbert Henry Heathcote Drummond Willoughby 1st Earl Ancaster (age 80) died. His son [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 43) succeeded 2nd Earl Ancaster in Lincolnshire, 26th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, 3rd Baron Aveland, 7th Baronet Heathcote of London. Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 28) by marriage Countess Ancaster in Lincolnshire.

The Times. 26 Dec 1910. We regret to state that [her father-in-law] Lord Ancaster (deceased) died on Saturday night at his Grimsthorpe, Bourne, Lincolnshire seat, in his 81st year.

Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, created first Earl of Ancaster in 1892, was Joint Heereditary Lord Great Chamberlain of England. This dignity is held jointly by Lord Cholmondeley (age 27), Lord Ancastor, and Lord Carrington (age 67). The late peer filled it during the reign of Queen Victoria, Lord Cholmondeley during that of King Edward, and Lord Carrington fills it during the present reign.

He was born on October 1, 1830, and succeeded his father (age 12) as second Lord Aveland on September 6, 1807, and his mother as 24th Lord Willoughby de Eresby on November 13, 1888.

Few noblemen possessed a longer lineage, for the lordship of Erresby in Lincolnshire was acquired by the family of Bee or Belec bv the marriage of Walter dc Bec with Agnes, daughter and heiress of Hugh Fitz Pincheon, a 12th century magnate of Lincolnshire. A John Beeke received permission from Edward I to make a castle of his manor house at Eresby and was summoned to Parliament as one of the barons of the realm. By his wife, Sarah, daughter of Thomas, Lord Furnival, be had, among other children, Alice, who was married to Sir William de Willoughby, one of those who went with Prince Edward to the Holy Land. His son, Robert, became first Lord Willoughby de Eresby. Subsequent holders of that title played a prominent part in the country's history at home and abroad. The 13th baron was created Earl of Lindsey. The fourth Earl of Lindsey was created Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven in 1713. That dukedom became extinct with the death of the fifth Duke in 1809. The barony of Willoughby de Eresby fell into abeyance between the sisters of the fourth duke until it was terminated by the Crown in 1780 in favour of the elder co-heir, Priscilla Barbara Elizabeth, whom the first Lord Gwydir married in 1779. Their eldest son Peter Robert, 21st Baron Willoughby de Eresby, married the daughter of the first Lord Perth, and one of their daughters became in 1840 the wife of the second Lord Carrington. Almeric, the 22nd Lord Willoughby do Eresby and third Baron Gwydyr of Gwydyr, County Carnarvon, Joint Hereditary Great Chamberlain of England, died in August, 1870. The barony of Willoughby do Eresby again fell into abeyance between his lordship's surviving sisters, and it was terminated in favour of the elder, the Dowager Baroness Aveland, who married in 1827 Sir Gilbert John Heathcote, created Baron Aveland in 1856. Their eldest son was the late Lord Ancaster, whose sister, Clementina Charlotte (age 78), married in 1869 Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, who died in her Majesty's ship Victoria in June 1893.

The late Lord Ancaster married in 1863 [her mother-in-law] Lady Evelyn Elizabeth Gordon (age 64), second daughter of the tenth Marquis of Huntly, by whom be had four sons and six daughters. He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, and sat as Member of Parliament for Rutland from 1856 to 1867. He was a magistrate for Kesteven and chairman of Quarter Sessions, lord of the manor of Thurlbv Baston and Langtoft, as well as chairman of the Stamford Division Conservative and Unionist Association; and was Lord Chamberlain during Queen Victoria's reign and contested the right to continue on King Edward's succession.

He is succeeded in the title by [her husband] Lord Willoughby de Eresby (age 43),??? for the Hornecastle Division of Lincolnshire, who is a major and hon. lieutenant-colonel of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry and was formerly an officer of the Leicestershire Yeomanry Cavalry. He married in 1905 Eloise Laurence (age 28), eldest daughter of the late Mr. W. L. Breese, of New York, and has a son, Gilbert [her son] James (age 3), born in 1907, and two daughters.

The late earl's other children include [her brother-in-law] Major Charles S. Heathcote-Drunmond-Willoughby (age 40), who married Lady Muriel Erskine, daughter of Lord Buchan (age 60); [her brother-in-law] Major Claud Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (age 38), who married Lady Florence Astley (age 43), youngest daughter of the third Marquis Ponyngham; [her sister-in-law] Lady Evelyn Clementina (age 46), wife of Major-General Sir Henry Peter Ewart; the [her sister-in-law] Hon. Margaret Mary (age 44), who was married to the late Mr. Gideon Macpherson Rutherford; the [her sister-in-law] Hon. Cecilie (age 36), wife of Mr. T. C. E. Goff; and [her sister-in-law] Lady Dalhousie (age 32). The late peer assumed by Royal licence in 1872 the additional surnames of Willoughby and Drummond. He was a large landowner, owning Drummond Castle Crieff, and extensive deer forests in Perthshire and land in Lincolnshire and Rutland. Recently, however, he sold considerable portion of his estates, in many instances to the tenants who had the option of purchase. He was a very generous landlord, and was highly respected. He used Normanton Castle as his chief country house till Lord Willoughby de Eresby was married; then Normanton became the latter's home, and Lord Ancester lived at Grimsthorpe. He was president of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

1911. Philip de László (age 41). Portrait of Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 28). Cost £6000.

In 1914 [her son] John Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond was born to [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 46) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 31).

On 27 Jul 1933 [her son] Gilbert James Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 3rd Earl Ancaster (age 25) and [her daughter-in-law] Nancy Phyllis Louise Astor Countess Astor (age 24) were married. He the son of [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 65) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 51).

Before 30 Jan 1940 [her son-in-law] John Renton Aird 3rd Baronet (age 41) and [her daughter] Priscilla Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond Lady Aird (age 31) were married. She by marriage Lady Aird of Hyde Park Terrace in Paddington in the County of London. She the daughter of [her husband] Gilbert Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond 2nd Earl Ancaster (age 72) and Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 57).

On 12 Dec 1953 Eloise Lawrence Breese Countess Ancaster (age 71) died.