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All About History Books
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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On 1st December 1912 Margaret Whigham was born to [her father] George Hay Whigham and [her mother] Helen Mann Hannay and Helen Mann Hannay.
In 18th May 1923 Margaret Whigham (age 10) arrived at Southampton with her father [her father] George Hay Whigham and mother [her mother] Helen Mann Hannay on the ship Majestie, of the White Star Line, from New York.
On 12th December 1927 [her future husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 24) and Janet Gladys Aitken (age 19) were married.
Around 1928 Margaret Whigham (age 15) underwent an abortion having become pregnant following a liason with David Niven (age 17) whilst on holiday at Bembridge, Isle of Wight.
Around 1930. Margaret Whigham (age 17)
In 1930 Margaret Whigham (age 17) was presented at Court in London and was known as the debutante of that year. Shortly afterwards, she announced her engagement to Charles Greville 7th Earl of Warwick (age 18).
Around 1931. Gerald Leslie Brockhurst (age 40). Portrait of Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 18).
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The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
Describes the reigns of Kings Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III, providing a wealth of information about their lives and the events of the time. Ralph's work is detailed, comprehensive and objective. We have augmented Ralph's text with extracts from other contemporary chroniclers to enrich the reader's experience.
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1932. Yevonde Cumbers aka Madame Yevonde (age 38). Photograph of Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 19). © National Portrait Gallery.
1932. Yevonde Cumbers aka Madame Yevonde (age 38). Photograph of Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 19). © National Portrait Gallery.
4th October 1932. Bassano Ltd. Photograph of Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 19).
Source: National Portrait Gallery
In January 1933 Hugh Houston Smiley 3rd Baronet (age 28) and Nancy Beaton (age 23) were married. The eight bridesmaids included the bride's sister Barbara "Baba" Beaton (age 20), Margaret Whigham (age 20), Lady Bridget Poulett (age 20), and Lady Anne Wellesley (age 22)
January 1933. Cecil Beaton (age 28). Photograph of Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 20).
On 21st February 1933 Charles Francis Sweeny (age 23) and Margaret Whigham (age 20) were married at the Brompton Oratory, Kensington.
Barbara "Baba" Beaton (age 21) and Bridget Poulet (age 21) were bridesmaids.
Hartford Courant:
Miss Margaret Whigham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Hay Whifham of Ascot, England, was married in London Tuesday to Mr. Charles Sweeney, young American golfer, in Brompton Oratory. This famous Catholic church was thronged with fashionable guests. Outside another crowd, composed largely of women eager to see the brlde, was so large that forty policemen had great difficulty in maintaining traffic lines.
The bride arrived few minutes late. She wore a pearl white satin gown embroidered with pearls. The eighteen-foot train was edged with cloud-like layers or pearl-embroidered silk net. Her veil or tulle, fitted closely like a cap, was held with a narrow filet of pearl leaves interwoven with orange blossoms. She carried a bouquet or white lilies.
There were nine bridesmaids. All dressed in whitc with wreaths or red flowers. They were Lady Bridget Poulett and Miss Shelia Berry, Miss Jeanne Stourton, Miss Margaret Livingstone-Learmouth, Miss Baba Beaton, Miss Angela Brett, Miss Dawn Gold, Miss Molly Vaughan and Miss Pamela Nicholl. The ushers included the Earl of Birkenhead (age 25) and Mr. Randolph Churchill (age 21).
The bride was given by her father, who is connected with an American business firm. The best man was Mr. Robert Sweeney, brother of the bridegroom. Mrs. Whigham, who has a home at 55 Princeiss Gate, gave the wedding reception. The couple then departed for Paris. Later they will cruise in the West Indies.
Among the many wedding presents were a pair of gold cuff links for the bridegroom from the Prlnce of Wales, who last year selected Mr. Sweeney, then captain of the Oxford University golf team, as his partner in the Navy and Royal Marines golf tournament. Mr. Sweeney first played golf here as an American schoolboy in the boys amateur golf championship, which he was runner-up. His brother also attended Oxford and frequently was his golf partner.
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1934. Paul Tanqueray (age 28). Photograph of Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 21).
Source: National Portrait Gallery.
In or before 1935 [her future husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 31) and Janet Gladys Aitken (age 26) were divorced.
On 23rd November 1935 [her future husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 32) and Louise Clews Duchess of Argyll (age 30) were married.
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William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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In 1937 [her daughter] Frances Helen Sweeny Duchess of Rutland was born to [her husband] Charles Francis Sweeny (age 27) and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 24). She married 15th May 1958 Charles John Robert Manners 10th Duke Rutland, son of John Henry Montagu Manners 9th Duke Rutland and Kathleen Tennant Duchess Rutland, and had issue.
In 1947 Charles Francis Sweeny (age 37) and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 34) were divorced.
On 20th August 1949 Niall Campbell 10th Duke Argyll (age 77) died. His first cousin once removed [her future husband] Ian (age 46) succeeded 11th Duke Argyll, 8th Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire. Louise Clews Duchess of Argyll (age 44) by marriage Duchess Argyll.
Before 22nd March 1951 [her future husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 47) and Louise Clews Duchess of Argyll (age 46) were divorced.
On 22nd March 1951 Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 47) and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 38) were married. His third marriage, her second. She by marriage Duchess Argyll.
1953. Paul Tanqueray (age 47). Photograph of Margaret Whigam Duchess of Argyll (age 40) and [her husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 49).
Source: National Portrait Gallery.
October 1955. Francis Goodman (age 42). Photograph of Margaret Whigam Duchess of Argyll (age 42) and her daughter [her daughter] Frances Helen Sweeny Duchess of Rutland (age 18), future Duchess of Rutland. Source: National Portrait Gallery.
Frances Helen Sweeny Duchess of Rutland: In 1937 she was born to Charles Francis Sweeny and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll. On 15th May 1958 Charles John Robert Manners 10th Duke Rutland and she were married. She by marriage Duchess Rutland. She the daughter of Charles Francis Sweeny and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll. He the son of John Henry Montagu Manners 9th Duke Rutland and Kathleen Tennant Duchess Rutland.
On 15th May 1958 [her son-in-law] Charles John Robert Manners 10th Duke Rutland (age 38) and [her daughter] Frances Helen Sweeny Duchess of Rutland (age 21) were married. She by marriage Duchess Rutland. She the daughter of [her former husband] Charles Francis Sweeny (age 48) and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 45). He the son of John Henry Montagu Manners 9th Duke Rutland and Kathleen Tennant Duchess Rutland (age 63).
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Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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In 1963 Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 59) and Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 50) were divorced following a scandalous divorce case. He suspected the Duchess of infidelity and, while she was in New York, engaged a locksmith to break open a cupboard at their Mayfair home, 48 Upper Grosvenor Street. A list of as many as eighty-eight men with whom the Duke believed his wife had consorted was produced. The list is said to include two government ministers and three members of the British royal family.
In 1964 [her former step-son] Ian Campbell 12th Duke of Argyll (age 26) and Iona Colquhoun Duchess of Argyll (age 18) were married. She by marriage Duchess Argyll. He the son of [her former husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 60) and Louise Clews Duchess of Argyll (age 59).
On 7th April 1973 [her former husband] Ian Campbell 11th Duke of Argyll (age 69) died. His son [her former step-son] Ian (age 35) succeeded 12th Duke Argyll, 9th Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire.
On 22nd October 1983 a Memorial Service was held for David Niven at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. The servie was attended by Margaret Whigham (age 70), Richard Attenborough, Michael Caine, Jon Pertwee, Anthony Quayle, Sir John Mills, Shirley Anne Field and John Mortimer.
On 11th March 1993 [her former husband] Charles Francis Sweeny (age 83) died. He was buried at Brookwood Cemetery, Woking.
On 25th July 1993 Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll (age 80) died at St George's Nursing Home, Pimlico. She was buried with her first husband [her former husband] Charles Francis Sweeny, who had died four months before, at Brookwood Cemetery, Woking.
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Whigham of Lochpatrick
GrandFather: David Dundas Whigham
Father: George Hay Whigham
Margaret Whigham Duchess of Argyll
Mother: Helen Mann Hannay