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Biography of Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster 1875-1970

Paternal Family Tree: West

In 1872 [her father] William Cornwallis-West (age 36) and [her mother] Mary "Patsy" Fitzpatrick (age 16) were married. He was more than twice her age - the marriage arranged to avoid a scandal. They lived at Ruthin Castle [Map]. The difference in their ages was 20 years.

On 16th May 1875 Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster was born to William Cornwallis-West (age 40) and Mary "Patsy" Fitzpatrick (age 19).

On 16th February 1901 Hugh Richard Arthur "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 21) and Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 25) were married. She by marriage Duchess Westminster.

1902. James Lafayette (age 49). Photograph of Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 26).

1907. James Lafayette (age 54). Photograph of Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 31).

In 1908 Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 32) was one of only two women to compete in sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics as owner and extra crewmember of the 8-metre bronze medal-winning yacht Sorais.

On 4th July 1917 [her father] William Cornwallis-West (age 82) died.

On 19th December 1919 Hugh Richard Arthur "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 40) and Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 44) were divorced.

On 21st July 1920 [her mother] Mary "Patsy" Fitzpatrick (age 64) died.

On 26th November 1920 [her former husband] Hugh Richard Arthur "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 41) and Violet Mary Nelson Duchess Westminster (age 29) were married.

In 1926 [her former husband] Hugh Richard Arthur "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 46) and Violet Mary Nelson Duchess Westminster (age 35) were divorced.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

On 20th February 1930 [her former husband] Hugh Richard Arthur "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 50) and Loelia Mary Ponsonby Duchess Westminster (age 28) were married. She by marriage Duchess Westminster. His third marriage; her first. Winston Churchill (age 55) was best man. They were married until 1947 when the marriage was dissolved. No issue. The difference in their ages was 22 years. They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 26th July 1936 [her former sister-in-law] Lettice Mary Elizabeth Grosvenor Countess Beauchamp (age 59) died estranged from all her children except her youngest Richard Edward Lygon (age 19).

On 7th February 1947 [her former husband] Hugh Richard Arthur "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 67) and Anne Winifred Sullivan Marchioness Westminster (age 31) were married. She by marriage Marchioness Westminster. The difference in their ages was 36 years.

On 21st January 1970 Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 94) died.

Royal Ancestors of Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster 1875-1970

Kings Wessex: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 24 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 14 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 22 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of King Philip IV of France

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Ancestors of Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster 1875-1970

Great x 4 Grandfather: John West 6th Baron De La Warr 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John West 1st Earl De La Warr 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John West 2nd Earl De La Warr 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Donough Maccarthy 4th Earl Clancarty 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Charlotte Maccarthy Baroness De La Warr 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Spencer Countess Clancarty 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Frederick West 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

GrandFather: Frederick Richard West 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Father: William Cornwallis-West 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Captain John Whitby

GrandMother: Theresa Whitby 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Reverend John Symonds

Great x 2 Grandfather: Captain Thomas Symonds 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Spring 3rd Baronet 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Spring 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Merelina Jermyn Lady Gage Lady Spring

Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Anne Symonds 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

GrandFather: Reverend Frederick Fitzpatrick

Mother: Mary "Patsy" Fitzpatrick 17 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Taylour 2nd Marquess of Headfort 15 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Valentine Quin

Great x 3 Grandfather: George Quin

Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Quin Marchioness of Headfort 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Cavendish 1st Baronet 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Caroline Cavendish 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Pyne 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

GrandMother: Olivia Taylour 16 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Stevenson of Dublin

Great x 1 Grandmother: Olivia Stevenson