Biography of Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford -1894

Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford was born to [her father] Cecil Weld-Forester 1st Baron Forester and [her mother] Katherine Mary Manners Baroness Forester.

In 1800 [her father] Cecil Weld-Forester 1st Baron Forester [aged 32] and [her mother] Katherine Mary Manners Baroness Forester were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland and [her grandmother] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland [aged 43]. They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 23rd May 1828 [her father] Cecil Weld-Forester 1st Baron Forester [aged 61] died of gout at Belgrave Square, Belgravia. His son [her brother] John [aged 26] succeeded 2nd Baron Forester of Willey Park in Shropshire.

On 1st May 1829 [her mother] Katherine Mary Manners Baroness Forester died.

In 1830 [her brother-in-law] George Stanhope 6th Earl Chesterfield [aged 24] and [her sister] Anne Weld-Forester Countess Chesterfield [aged 27] were married. She by marriage Countess Chesterfield. He the son of Philip Stanhope 5th Earl Chesterfield and Henrietta Thynne. They were fourth cousins.

On 20th April 1844 Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 24] and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford were married. He the son of George Bridgeman 2nd Earl Bradford [aged 54] and Georgina Elizabeth Moncrieffe Countess Bradford. They were fifth cousin once removed.

In 1845 [her son] George Cecil Orlando Bridgeman 4th Earl Bradford was born to [her husband] Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 25] and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford. He married 7th September 1869 his second cousin once removed Ida Frances Annabella Lumley Countess Bradford, daughter of Richard Lumley 9th Earl Scarborough and Adeliza Drummond Countess Scarborough, and had issue.

In 1846 [her son] Francis Charles Bridgeman was born to [her husband] Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 26] and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford.

On 10th June 1856 [her brother] John Weld-Forester 2nd Baron Forester [aged 54] and [her sister-in-law] Alexandrina Julia Gräfin von Maltzan were married at St John the Evangelist, Paddington.

In 1859 [her daughter] Florence Katharine Bridgeman Countess Harewood was born to [her husband] Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 39] and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford. She married 5th November 1881 her third cousin Henry Ulrick Lascelles 5th Earl Harewood, son of Henry Thynne Lascelles 4th Earl Harewood and Elizabeth Joanna Burgh, and had issue.

On 22nd March 1865 [her father-in-law] George Bridgeman 2nd Earl Bradford [aged 75] died. His son [her husband] Orlando [aged 45] succeeded 3rd Earl Bradford, 3rd Viscount Newport of Shropshire, 4th Baron Bradford in Shropshire, 8th Baronet Bridgeman of Great Lever in Lancashire. Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford by marriage Countess Bradford.

On 7th September 1869 George Cecil Orlando Bridgeman 4th Earl Bradford [aged 24] and Ida Frances Annabella Lumley Countess Bradford [aged 20] were married. She the daughter of Richard Lumley 9th Earl Scarborough [aged 56] and Adeliza Drummond Countess Scarborough. He the son of Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 50] and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford. They were second cousin once removed.

On 10th October 1874 John Weld-Forester 2nd Baron Forester [aged 73] died at Willey Hall, Shropshire. His brother George [aged 67] succeeded 3rd Baron Forester of Willey Park in Shropshire.

1876. Edward Clifford [aged 32]. Portrait of Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford.

On 5th November 1881 [her son-in-law] Henry Ulrick Lascelles 5th Earl Harewood [aged 35] and Florence Katharine Bridgeman Countess Harewood [aged 22] were married. She the daughter of Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 62] and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford. He the son of Henry Thynne Lascelles 4th Earl Harewood [aged 57] and Elizabeth Joanna Burgh. They were third cousins.

On 27th July 1885 [her sister] Anne Weld-Forester Countess Chesterfield [aged 82] died.

On 14th February 1886 George Weld-Forester 3rd Baron Forester [aged 78] died. He was buried at Willey Church, Shropshire. His brother Orlando [aged 72] succeeded 4th Baron Forester of Willey Park in Shropshire.

On 22nd June 1894 [her brother] Orlando Weld-Forester 4th Baron Forester [aged 81] died. He was buried at Willey Church, Shropshire. His son [her nephew] Cecil [aged 51] succeeded 5th Baron Forester of Willey Park in Shropshire.

In November 1894 Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford died.

On 12th March 1898 [her former husband] Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford [aged 78] died at Weston Park, Staffordshire. His son George [aged 53] succeeded 4th Earl Bradford, 4th Viscount Newport of Shropshire, 5th Baron Bradford in Shropshire, 9th Baronet Bridgeman of Great Lever in Lancashire. Ida Frances Annabella Lumley Countess Bradford [aged 49] by marriage Countess Bradford.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. My girlhood's friend, the Marquis of Granby, was very much in love with his cousin, Miss Forester, but as his father did not approve of cousins marrying, Lord Granby promised the Duke not to think of her as a wife. Miss Forester married the Earl of Bradford, but she and Granby indulged in a very romantic flirtation after her marriage, both posing as the unfortunate victims of a stern father's caprice. Lady Bradford did not like me and always snubbed me as much as she dared. One day at Melton I met her at Egerton Lodge when she was uncommonly disagreeable. Lady Wilton asked me to play and of course I willing complied. Lady Bradford and Jim Macdonald were sitting near the pianoforte, and under cover of the music I heard the heroine of Granby's blighted love affair say in languishing tones, "Oh, Jim, whenever I meet you I always take off my wedding ring and forget I'm married". Of course I was highly amused, and the next time I met Lady Bradford with Granby in attendance I could not resist saying quite innocently, "Oh, Lady Bradford, what did you mean the other day when you told Jim Macdonald that you always took off your wedding ring and forgot you were married when you saw him?".

It was rather mean of me, but I had not forgotten my undeserved snubbings from her Ladyship.

[her daughter] Mabel Selina Bridgeman was born to Orlando Bridgeman 3rd Earl Bradford and Selina Weld-Forester Countess Bradford.