Biography of Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu 1689-1751

On 1st October 1678 [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 28] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 18] were married.

On 15th July 1689 Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu was born to John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 39] and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 29].

In March 1698 [her brother-in-law] Francis Godolphin 2nd Earl Godolphin [aged 19] and [her sister] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 47] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 37]. He the son of Sidney Godolphin 1st Earl Godolphin [aged 52] and Margaret Blagge.

Before 2nd December 1700 [her brother-in-law] Charles Spencer 3rd Earl of Sunderland [aged 25] and [her sister] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland [aged 17] were married. She the daughter of [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 50] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 40]. He the son of Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland [aged 59] and Anne Digby Countess Sunderland [aged 54].

On 28th September 1702 Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland [aged 61] died at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map]. His son [her brother-in-law] Charles [aged 27] succeeded 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 5th Baron Spencer Wormleighton. [her sister] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland [aged 19] by marriage Countess of Sunderland.

In December 1702 [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 52] was created 1st Duke Marlborough, 1st Marquess of Blandford. [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 42] by marriage Duchess Marlborough.

On 9th February 1703 [her brother-in-law] Scroop Egerton 1st Duke Bridgewater [aged 21] and [her sister] Elizabeth Churchill Countess Bridgewater [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Countess Bridgewater. She the daughter of [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 52] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 42]. He the son of John Egerton 3rd Earl Bridgewater and Jane Paulet Countess Bridgewater [aged 47].

In 1705 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 15] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 15] were married. She the daughter of John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 54] and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 44]. He the son of Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 66] and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland. They were third cousins.

In 1706 [her son] John Montagu was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 16] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 16]. He died aged five in 1711.

Around 1706 [her daughter] Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 16] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 16]. She married (1) before 21st October 1739 her fourth cousin William Montagu 2nd Duke Manchester, son of Charles Montagu 1st Duke Manchester and Doddington Greville Duchess Manchester (2) 1743 Edward Hussey-Montagu 1st Earl Beaulieu.

On 9th March 1709 [her father-in-law] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 70] died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son [her husband] John [aged 19] succeeded 2nd Duke Montagu, 4th Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire. Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 19] by marriage Duchess Montagu.

In 1711 [her son] John Montagu [aged 5] died.

Around 1711 [her daughter] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 21] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 21]. She married 7th July 1730 her fourth cousin once removed George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu, son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan, and had issue.

On 15th September 1712 Sidney Godolphin 1st Earl Godolphin [aged 67] died. His son [her brother-in-law] Francis [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Earl Godolphin, 2nd Viscount Rialton, 2nd Baron Godolphin of Rialton in Cornwall. [her sister] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough [aged 31] by marriage Countess Godolphin.

On 22nd March 1714 [her sister] Elizabeth Churchill Countess Bridgewater [aged 27] died. She was buried at St Peter and St Paul Church, Little Gaddesden on 29th March 1714.

On 15th April 1716 [her sister] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland [aged 33] died.

On 16th June 1722 [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 72] died at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor. His daughter [her sister] Henrietta [aged 40] succeeded 2nd Duchess Marlborough, 2nd Marchioness of Blandford, 2nd Countess of Marlborough, 2nd Baroness Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. [her brother-in-law] Francis Godolphin 2nd Earl Godolphin [aged 43] by marriage Duke Marlborough.

On 24th November 1722 [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 55] died.

On 27th December 1725 [her son] Edward Montagu was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 35] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 36]. He died aged one in 1727.

In May 1727 [her son] Edward Montagu [aged 1] died.

On 7th July 1730 [her son-in-law] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 17] and Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 40] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 40]. He the son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan [aged 44] and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan [aged 41]. They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 24th October 1733 [her sister] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough [aged 52] died. Her nephew Charles [aged 26] succeeded 3rd Duke Marlborough, 3rd Marquess of Blandford, 3rd Earl of Marlborough, 3rd Baron Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. Elizabeth Trevor Duchess of Marlborough [aged 20] by marriage Duchess Marlborough.

Around 1735 Gavin Hamilton [aged 12]. Portrait of [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 45] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 45], and [her daughter] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu [aged 24].

Before 21st October 1739 [her son-in-law] William Montagu 2nd Duke Manchester [aged 39] and Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester [aged 33] were married. She by marriage Duchess Manchester. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 49] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 50]. He the son of Charles Montagu 1st Duke Manchester and Doddington Greville Duchess Manchester. They were fourth cousins.

On 29th January 1740 Richard Lumley 2nd Earl Scarborough [aged 53] committed suicide by shooting himself through the roof of the mouth possibly as a result of his having told the [her daughter] Dowager Duchess of Manchester [aged 34], who he had intended to marry the following day, a state secret which she then shared with her grandmother [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 79] who shared it with William Pulteney 1st Earl Bath [aged 55] who shared it with everyone else. His brother Thomas [aged 49] succeeded 3rd Earl of Scarborough, 4th Viscount Lumley, 3rd Baron Lumley. Frances Hamilton Countess Scarborough by marriage Countess of Scarborough. He left his estates to his youngest brother James Lumley [aged 34].

On 4th February 1740 Richard Lumley 2nd Earl Scarborough was buried at the Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair.

In 1743 [her son-in-law] Edward Hussey-Montagu 1st Earl Beaulieu [aged 22] and Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester [aged 37] were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 53] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 53].

On 18th October 1744 [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 84] died. The majority of her considerable estate was left to her great-grandson John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer [aged 9] with the condition that he could not accept a political office under the government: "from any King or Queen of these realms any pension, or any office or employment, civil or military" (except the Rangership of Windsor Great or Little Park), the estate would pass to the next heir "as if the same John Spencer were actually dead."

On 6th July 1749 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 59] died without surviving male issue. Duke Montagu extinct. His estates were inherited by his daughter Mary [aged 38] and her husband George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 36] who changed his name to Montagu from Brudenell. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac [aged 46]. Erected by his widow, Mary Churchill [aged 59], the daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, who stands at the left hand side of the monument.

On 14th May 1751 Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 61] died. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac [aged 48]. Commissioned by her daughter, Lady Mary Montagu. The monument is adorned with figures representing the three fates of Clotho, Atropos and Lachesis, arranged to show the cutting of Mary's life thread, and Lachesis' dismay at it being cut short. Three putti also figure on the monument, one of whom holds the spindle from which the thread was cut.

Clotho: Clotho is one of the Three Fates. She spins the thread of human life.

Atropos: Atropos is one of the Three Fates. She cuts the thread of human life.

Lachesis: Lachesis is one of the Three Fates. She measures the thread of human life.

[her son] George Montagu was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu.