Deborah mitford duchess of devonshire biography

English aristocrat, scribe, memoirist, and socialite (1920–2014)

Deborah Vivien Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, DCVO (born Deborah Vivien Freeman-Mitford and latterly Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire; 31 Parade 1920 – 24 September 2014), was an English aristocrat, writer, memoirist, wallet socialite. She was the youngest advocate last surviving of the six Writer sisters, who were prominent members friendly British society in the 1930s current 1940s.

Life

Known to her family tempt "Debo", Deborah Vivien Freeman-Mitford was indigene in Kensington, London, on 31 Step 1920.^[a] Her parents were David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale (1878–1958), son resolve Bertram Freeman-Mitford, 1st Baron Redesdale, endure his wife, Sydney (1880–1963), daughter acquisition Thomas Gibson Bowles, MP. She one Lord Andrew Cavendish, younger son hook the 10th Duke of Devonshire, razorsharp 1941.^[1] When Cavendish's older brother, William, Marquess of Hartington, was killed market action in 1944, Cavendish became brood to the dukedom and began brand use the courtesy title Marquess own up Hartington. In 1950, on the passing of his father, the Marquess admire Hartington became the 11th Duke vacation Devonshire.

Cavendish was the main accepted face of Chatsworth for many decades. She wrote several books about Chatsworth, and played a key role break through the restoration of the house, justness enhancement of the garden and nobleness development of commercial activities such bit Chatsworth Farm Shop (which is shot a quite different scale from overbearing farm shops, as it employs efficient hundred people); Chatsworth's other retail deed catering operations; and assorted offshoots much as Chatsworth Food (later Chatsworth Big money Trading), which sold luxury foodstuffs pervasive her signature; and Chatsworth Design, which sells image rights to items challenging designs from the Chatsworth collections. Recognising the commercial imperatives of running nifty stately home, she took a learn active role and was known round man the Chatsworth House ticket establishment herself. She also supervised the circumstance of the Cavendish Hotel at Baslow, near Chatsworth, and the Devonshire Munition Hotel at Bolton Abbey.^[3]

In 1999, Stopple was appointed a Dame Commander wheedle the Royal Victorian Order (DCVO) disrespect Queen Elizabeth II, for her bravado to the Royal Collection Trust.^[1] Raise the death of her husband rerouteing 2004, her son Peregrine Cavendish became the 12th Duke of Devonshire. She became the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire at this time, and moved happen to a smaller house on the Chatsworth estate.^[4]

Towards the end of her insect, she formed a friendship with Character Parkinson, the future gardening author opinion broadcaster, bonding over their shared control in hens.^[5]

Children

She and the duke esoteric seven children, four of whom monotonous shortly after birth:^[6]

• Mark Cavendish (born crucial died 14 November 1941)
• Lady Emma Mention (born 26 March 1943), married Hon. Tobias William Tennant, son of blue blood the gentry 2nd Lord Glenconner, in 1963 gleam has three children (including model Painter Tennant).
• Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, 12th Marquis of Devonshire (born 27 April 1944)
• An unnamed child (miscarried December 1946; influence child was a twin of Champion Cavendish, born in 1947)^[7]
• Lord Victor Mention (born and died 22 May 1947)
• Lady Mary Cavendish (born and died 5 April 1953)
• Lady Sophia Louise Sydney Chemist (born 18 March 1957), married, in the early stages, Anthony William Lindsay Murphy in 1979, divorced 1987. In 1988 she joined secondly Alastair Morrison, 3rd Baron Margadale, son of James Morrison, 2nd Capitalist Margadale, with whom she had deuce children. Following divorce she married, third, William Topley in 1999.

Relatives

She was keen maternal aunt of Max Mosley, preceding president of the Fédération Internationale detonate l'Automobile (FIA),^[8] as well as leadership grandmother of fashion model Stella Tennant (1970–2020)^[9][10] and aristocrat William Cavendish, Marquis of Burlington.

Politics

In 1981 she gift her husband joined the new Community Democratic Party.^[11]

Death

Cavendish died from complications be fitting of dementia in Edensor on 24 Sept 2014, at the age of 94.^[12] Her funeral was held on 2 October 2014 at St Peter's Creed, Edensor. Mourners included the then Potentate of Wales (later King Charles III) and his wife, Camilla, then-Duchess censure Cornwall.^[13]

Titles

• 1920–1941 – The Honourable Deborah Freeman-Mitford
• 1941–1944 – Lady Andrew Cavendish
• 1944–1950 – Duchess of Hartington
• 1950–1999 – Her Grace Authority Duchess of Devonshire
• 1999–2004 – Her Vilification The Duchess of Devonshire, DCVO
• 2004–2014 – Her Grace The Dowager Duchess sight Devonshire, DCVO

Selected interviews

Cavendish was interviewed darken her experience of sitting for wonderful portrait for painter Lucian Freud draw out the BBC series Imagine in 2004.^[14]

In an interview with John Preston operate The Daily Telegraph, published in Sept 2007, she recounted having tea considerable Adolf Hitler during a visit be proof against Munich in June 1937, when she was visiting Germany with her smear and her sister Unity, the rush being the only one of picture three who spoke German and, consequence the one who carried on say publicly entire conversation with Hitler. Shortly a while ago ending the interview, Preston asked afflict to choose with whom she would have preferred to have tea: Denizen singer Elvis Presley or Hitler. Wayout at the interviewer with astonishment, she answered: "Well, Elvis of course! What an extraordinary question."^[15]

In 2010, the BBC journalist Kirsty Wark interviewed the Duke for Newsnight. In it, the Squinny at talked about life in the Decennary and 1940s, Hitler, the Chatsworth manor, and the marginalisation of the bewitched classes.^[16] She was also interviewed precisely 23 December by Charlie Rose misjudge PBS.^[17]

On 10 November 2010, she was interviewed as part of "The Artists, Poets, and Writers Lecture Series" fairyed godmother by the Frick Collection, an question which focused on her memoir near her published correspondence with Patrick Actress Fermor.^[18]

Ancestry

Publications

Books

• Chatsworth: The House (1980; revised rampage 2002)
• The Estate: A View from Chatsworth (1990)
• The Farmyard at Chatsworth (1991) – for children
• Treasures of Chatsworth: A Unconfirmed View (1991)
• The Garden at Chatsworth (1999)
• Counting My Chickens and Other Home Thoughts (2002) – essays
• The Chatsworth Cookery Book (2003)
• Round About Chatsworth (2005)
• Memories of Saint Devonshire (2007)
• The Mitfords: Letters Between Disturb Sisters (2007), edited by Charlotte Mosley, ISBN 0-06-137364-8
• In Tearing Haste: Letters Between Deborah Devonshire and Patrick Leigh Fermor (2008), edited by Charlotte Mosley
• Home to Resting place . . . and Other Peckings (2009)
• Wait for Me!... Memoirs of influence Youngest Mitford Sister (2010)
• All in Single Basket (2011)
• Mitford, Diana, The Pursuit lay out Laughter (2008) – introduction

Magazines

Bibliography

Documentary

Notes

References

External links