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Essex tiara
Posted by Beth on November 21, 2020, 5:50 pm
I have always wondered why there don't seem to be photos or paintings of Adele Capell, Countess of Essex wearing the grand Cartier tiara ordered for the 1902 coronation.
The answer lies partially in the personal disposition of Adele, Countess of Essex who, according to a number of press reports, did not wear much jewellery and rarely wore a tiara.
Despite this Adele, Lady Essex had at least 3 tiaras at her disposal. The ruby item mentioned above, the Cartier tiara and a second diamond tiara.
The 1902 Cartier tiara.
Although I could not find photos of Adele, Countess of Essex wearing this tiara, I did find a photo of her stepson's wife wearing what looks like the Cartier tiara to the 1937 coronation.
What do others think? Is this the Cartier Essex tiara?
I haven't looked at the wills of either Adele, Lady Essex or of her husband (and there is very little information in the press) so I don't know if the Cartier tiara was made a family heirloom which followed the title.
The second diamond tiara was undoubtedly the personal property of Adele, Countess of Essex as she donated it to the Children's Jewel Fund in 1918.
A closer view
I have attempted, unsuccessfully, to find if the press carried any information about when the Cartier tiara might have been sold. I assume that, whenever it was sold, the transaction was private.
Sadly for us the name of the friend was not recorded!
Clementine Churchill 1953.
It is entirely possible that the Earl of Essex still owned the tiara in 1953 or, equally, he may have sold it by then.
Re: Essex tiara
Posted by The Royal Watcher on November 21, 2020, 7:31 pm, in reply to "Essex tiara"
Intriguing research Beth!
I've always found it odd that Lady Churchill wore the Essex Tiara at the Coronation, and if the Tiara still belonged to the Earl, wouldn't it have been worn by the then Countess of Essex at the Coronation? I wonder who that friend was and if this loan extended to other events (including other Coronation festivities)?
I find it interesting that the Countess was donating a Tiara in 1918 and the Earl still retained the Cartier Tiara in 1937, as the family seat was sold and demolished in the 1920s, and one would think jewels would be sold before Estates.
Re: Essex tiara
Posted by 992234177 on November 22, 2020, 4:47 am, in reply to "Re: Essex tiara"
I was under the impression that it was lent by one of her daughters to Lady Spencer-Churchill though I don’t know why I think this. I know the current earl only inherited a few pieces of silver which were given by the widow of the last but one Earl during her lifetime, as the current Earl was a childhood friend of my mothers many many years ago.
Re: Essex tiara
Posted by Sam (The Beau Monde) on November 22, 2020, 4:57 am, in reply to "Essex tiara"
One thing that’s always puzzled me about this Tiara is why Margareta of Romania wore it for her wedding when they have the Greek Key one that the Romanian royals frequently used as a wedding Tiara.
Re: Essex tiara
Posted by Beth on November 22, 2020, 5:58 am, in reply to "Re: Essex tiara"
Some of the answers may possibly be found in the will of the 7th Earl, the husband of Adele. All that I found in the media was this --which does not give us much information.
Adele Beach Grant left just over 18 thousand pounds when she died in 1922. Nevertheless, like many females of her generation she may have had interests in established trusts which provided her with an income, and subsequently her daughters. Her address was given as 72 Brook St, Westminster, not Cassiobury, the family's main seat.
What I found most intriguing in the press reports from the time of Adele's death was that, by her direction, only her estate agent attended her funeral. I wonder if there was a major break with her own daughters and her step son?
Cassiobury, the family estate was not sold until after Adele's death. The contents of the house were sold in 1922 as well as some land, although the house and immediate surrounds remained unsold until 1927.
If the then Countess of Essex was wearing the Cartier tiara at the time of the 1937 coronation