Today (23 April) would have been the birthday of Victoria Alexandrina, Countess of Yarborough.
She was the daughter of William Hare, 2nd Earl of Listowel – Grimsby’s Hare Street is named after the family – and she was born in 1838.
Her connection to Grimsby was through her marriage to Charles Pelham – who was to become the 3rd Earl of Yarborough.
Marriage
She married Charles Anderson-Pelham, 3rd Earl of Yarborough on 3 August 1858. They had five children, Charles Alfred Worsley Pelham (the 4th Earl), Victor Ralph, Henry, Dudley, and Gertrude Augusta Pelham.
Dudley Street, Augusta Street, Charles Avenue, Victor Street, Pelham Road, Pelham Avenue, Conyers Avenue, Hare Street were named after family members, as development was on land they owned.
The 3rd Earl died aged 40 in 1875 and as his 15 year old heir was too young to take on the title, the Countess managed affairs until he came of age.
In that time she managed the hounds assisted by John Maunsell Richardson, who also became Master of the Brocklesby Hounds – he had been a good friend to the Earl (more on Richardson in another blog). A love match developed and in 1881 the couple were married and they lived at Brocklesby Park until 1886 when the 4th Earl married.
Love, they say, makes a pleasure of all toil for the beloved, and my brother Maunsell’s reward came when in 1881, the present Lord Yarborough came of age, and Lady Yarborough felt free to marry the man of her choice.
For seven years he’d waited patiently, and I am very sure that had his divinity elected to marry some one else, he would have remained a bachelor to the end of his days.
The Life of a Great Sportsman, Mary Richardson
Life in Healing
On marrying John Maunsell Richardson in 1881 and when her son came of age to the title, the couple moved to Healing Manor in 1887.
Richardson had the house renovated and modernised and extended befit for his wife. They built new estate cottages on Stallingborough Road and constructed a stable block. Both the cottages and the stables bear his coat of arms.
In 1890 they purchased 171 acres of land in the area and by 1892 had purchased the rest of the estate from the mortgagers. They continued their support of the hunt and were involved with their duties to Grimsby.
In 1902 the couple sold the house to the Portman family for £18,000 and they moved to Oakham, Rutland. In the book by Richardson’s sister, she mentions this sudden move, but that it was done for personal reasons.
The couple had one child together, John.
Famed horsewoman
Victoria was a fine, competent horsewoman, who hunted regularly with the Brocklesby.
She came to Brocklesby Hall in 1859 as an 18 year old newly wed. According to Mary Richardson, her future sister in law, no Pelham ladies rode to hounds, in fact hardly any ladies hunted.
She rode to hounds side saddle and was a sight to behold. As Lady Worsley she rode out and acquired many admirers.
Large, clear and blue, as only Irish eyes can be, her manner had the peculiar fascination that only a thoroughly kindly heart and buoyant temperament can give.
Then again, who would fail to admire the perfect little figure, showing to such advantage on horseback?
The Life of a Great Sportsman, Mary Richardson
She attended every meet she possibly could and turned proceedings into a pleasurable event. She had courage and judgment in the field with a charming manner.
A year before they married, Maunsell gave Victoria a beautiful bay gelding called Birthday, who was a very fine jumper and ‘an all-round perfect lady’s horse.’
Richardson’s death
Sadly her second husband Maunsell died in January 1912. He is buried in Edmondthorpe, Rutland but a memorial stone and the lynch gate were dedicated to him at Great Limber and can still be seen today.
Lady Yarborough had been the one love of his life, and their relationship had a depth and happy constancy to it that was felt by friends and family. They had shared interests and were never far apart.
She received many kindly letters following his death.
I do feel for you so. You loved each other so, and 30 years of such love is so rare – I cannot bear to think of your life without him.
Mourner
Service
Her connection and duty to this area was strong and she carried out many public duties. One of them was the laying of the foundation stone for St Barnabas Church, King Edward Street – now home to Docks Beers.
Interestingly the builder was Henry Marrows, who built many fine buildings in the area and was famed for developing Edwardian Healing.
Death
She died in 1927. She was survived by her children.
Guided Tours around North East Lincolnshire 