Biography of Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux -1875

Paternal Family Tree: Coventry

Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux was born to George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry and Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry.

Before 1764 [her father] George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry (age 5) and Catherine Henley were married. She the daughter of Robert Henley 1st Earl Northington (age 55) and Jane Huband. He the son of George Coventry 6th Earl Coventry (age 41) and Maria Gunning Countess Coventry.

On 10 Jan 1783 [her father] George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry (age 24) and [her mother] Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry (age 23) were married. He the son of George Coventry 6th Earl Coventry (age 60) and Maria Gunning Countess Coventry.

On 26 Mar 1808 Nigel Bowyer Gresley 7th Baronet (age 55) died. His son [her future husband] Roger Gresley 8th Baronet (age 8) succeeded 8th Baronet Gresley of Drakelow in Derbyshire.

On 03 Sep 1809 [her grandfather] George Coventry 6th Earl Coventry (age 87) died. His son [her father] George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry (age 51) succeeded 7th Earl Coventry. [her mother] Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry (age 49) by marriage Countess Coventry.

On 02 Jun 1821 Roger Gresley 8th Baronet (age 21) and Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux were married at St George's Church, Hanover Square. There was no issue from the marriage. She by marriage Lady Gresley of Drakelow in Derbyshire. She the daughter of George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry (age 63) and Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry (age 61).

TO SIR ROGER GRESLEY, BART.. TO SIR [her husband] ROGER GRESLEY (age 21), Bart. On His Marriage With Lady SOPHIA COVENTRY, Youngest Daughter Of The EARL OF COVENTRY (age 63).

JUNE 2, 1821

IF mortals bliss can gain below,

Thou, GRESLEY, must the blessing know;

Nature at first to thee was kind,

She gave a shrewd and pregnant mind,

By taste and learning since refin'd.

Fortune, not less her pow'r to shew,

Has deign'd her favours to bestow;

Of riches an abundant store,

And, what thou now wilt value more,

To heighten ev'ry charm of life,

A nobler treasure in a wife,

Surpassing all in Plutus' pow'r,

Were e'en Peru his added dow'r;

A wife in manners, form, and mind,

The proudest would rejoice to find,

Possessing ev'ry gentler grace

That best adorns the female race.

Oh! still may Fortune prove thy friend,

And bliss on all thy course attend,

Till Nature, in a late decay,

Shall softly steal your lives away,

And angels then be hov'ring near

To waft ye to a happier sphere.

On 26 Mar 1831 [her father] George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry (age 72) died. His son [her brother] George Coventry 8th Earl Coventry (age 46) succeeded 8th Earl Coventry. Mary Beauclerk Countess Coventry (age 39) by marriage Countess Coventry.

On 12 Oct 1837 [her husband] Roger Gresley 8th Baronet (age 37) died. He was buried at St George and St Mary's Church, Church Gresley on 28 Oct 1837. His first cousin William Nigel Gresley 9th Baronet (age 31) succeeded 9th Baronet Gresley of Drakelow in Derbyshire.

On 16 Jul 1839 Henry William Des Voeux 3rd Baronet (age 32) and Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux were married. She the daughter of George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry and Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry (age 79).

On 15 Jan 1840 [her mother] Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry (age 80) died.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. In the autumn of 1844 we went to Bretby [Map], the seat of the Earl of Chesterfield (age 38), where we spent a most enjoyable time. There was a large house-party, among many others the Duke (age 44) and Duchess (age 26) of Montrose, [her husband] Mr. (age 37) and Lady Sophia des Voeux, Lord Alvanley (age 54), and the Count de Nieukerke, who was the recognised lover of Princess Mathilde Bonaparte (age 23). M. de Nieukerke was a very charming man, and he was much struck by my singing, and used to compare me with George Sand's heroine - Consuelo - for I was a very pretty girl with a slight, but fine figure, and long hair that fell in curls below my knees.

On 28 Sep 1858 [her father-in-law] Charles Des Voeux 2nd Baronet (age 79) died. His son [her husband] Henry William Des Voeux 3rd Baronet (age 51) succeeded 3rd Baronet De Vouex of Indiaville in Queen's County. Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux by marriage Lady De Vouex of Indiaville in Queen's County.

The Times. 25 Jan 1865. MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE. The marriage of the Earl of Coventry (age 26) and Lady Blanche Craven (age 22), third daughter of Earl Craven (age 55), was solemnized yesterday morning at St. George's Church, Hanover-square. The bridegroom and the friends of both families assembled at the church at 11 o'clock, and shortly afterwards were joined by the bride (age 22), accompanied by her mother, the Countess Craven (age 48). The bride (age 22) was received by her father (age 26) at the church door, and, attended by eight bridesmaids, proceeded at once to the communion table, in front ot which a numerous company had assembled, including the Earl (age 65) and Countess of Clarendon (age 54) and Lady Emily Villiers (age 22), the Countess of Verulam (age 40) and Lady Harriet Grimston (age 20), Viscount (age 49) and Viscountess Folkestone (age 43) and Hon. Miss Bouverie, the Countess of Sefton (age 27) and Lady Cecilia Molyneux, Viscount Chelsea (age 24), and Lady Caroline Townley (age 27) and Miss Townley, Viscount Uffington (age 23), Sir [her husband] Henry (age 58) and Lady Sophia Des Voeux, Hon. Mr. and Mrs Coventry, Hon. Gerald (age 35) and Lady Maria Ponsonby (age 28), Mr. Oswald andl Miss Oswald, Dr. Quin, Mr. Cecil Boothby (age 51), Mr. James Oswald, Miss Talbot, Viscount (age 32) and Viscountess Grey de Wilton (age 28), Lady Evelyn Bruce (age 25), Hon. Mrs. Grimston and Miss Grimston, &c.

The Hon. and Rev. Edward Grimston (age 52), uncle of the bride, performed the religious rite. After the registration of the marriage the wedding party left the church, and procceded to the Earl (age 55) and Countess Craven's (age 48) mansion in Charles-street, Mayfair. At 2 o'clock the newly-wedded couple took their departure for Croome Court, tbe Earl of Coventry's (age 26) seat, near Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire [Map], there to pass the honeymoon. At Croome Pirton and Severn Stoke, Worcestershire, the marriage was celebrated yesterday by the tenantry and neighbours of the Earl of Coventry (age 26). The tenantry of the Crome Pirton and Severn Stoke estates, to ths number of about 100, dined together in two parties yesterday at Severn Stoke and High-green. At Pirton and Severn Stoke garlands of evergreens and flags were hung out over the roads, and at night a bonfire was lighted at High-green. The rejoicings have extended over all his Lordship's (age 26) large estates in the southern portion of Worcestershire. The inhabitants of Worcester [Map] celebrated the marriage by hoisting flags from tile windows and streamers across the streets. The bells from the various churches rang merry peals all day.

On 24 Jan 1865 George Coventry 9th Earl Coventry (age 26) and Blanche Craven Countess Coventry (age 22) were married. She by marriage Countess Coventry. She the daughter of William Craven 2nd Earl Craven (age 55) and Emily Mary Grimston Countess Craven (age 48). She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 04 Jan 1868 [her husband] Henry William Des Voeux 3rd Baronet (age 61) died.

On 28 Apr 1870 Edward Henry Gervase Stracey 6th Baronet (age 31) and [her former sister-in-law] Mary Gertrude des Voeux Lady Stracey were married.

On 29 Mar 1875 Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux died at 39 Berkeley Square, Mayfair.

Ancestors of Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux -1875

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Coventry

Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Coventry

Great x 2 Grandfather: Walter Coventry of St Peter-le-Poor in London

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Coventry 5th Earl Coventry

Great x 3 Grandfather: Humphrey Holcombe of St Andrew's in Holborn

Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Holcombe

GrandFather: George Coventry 6th Earl Coventry

Father: George Coventry 7th Earl Coventry

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Barnaby Gunning

GrandMother: Maria Gunning Countess Coventry

Great x 2 Grandfather: Theobald Bourke

Great x 1 Grandmother: Bridget Bourke

Sophia Catherine Coventry Lady Gresley and Des Voeux

Mother: Margaret "Peggy" Pitches Countess Coventry