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

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 [her father] 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.

The Times. 25th January 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, accompanied by her mother, the Countess Craven (age 48). The bride was received by her father 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 and Countess Craven's mansion in Charles-street, Mayfair. At 2 o'clock the newly-wedded couple took their departure for Croome Court, the Earl of Coventry's 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. 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 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 24th January 1865 George Coventry 9th Earl Coventry and Blanche Craven Countess Coventry were married. She by marriage Countess Coventry. She the daughter of William Craven 2nd Earl Craven and Emily Mary Grimston Countess Craven.