Biography of Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire 1872-1959

Paternal Family Tree: Hare

On 1st October 1872 Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire was born to [her father] Hugh Henry Hare (age 33).

YBcJrZjKOn 31st March 1874 Arthur Hill 5th Marquess Downshire (age 29) died. His son [her future husband] Arthur (age 2) succeeded 6th Marquess Downshire.

1893. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire (age 20).

On 22nd June 1893 Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire (age 21) and Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire (age 20) were married. She by marriage Marchioness Downshire. He the son of Arthur Hill 5th Marquess Downshire and Georgiana Elizabeth Balfour.

Before 19th November 1902 Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire (age 31) and Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire (age 30) were divorced as a consequence of her affair with Joseph Frederick Laycock (age 35). Laycock was also having an affair with Frances Evelyn "Daisy" Maynard Countess Warwick (age 40) with whom he possibly fathered two children: Maynard Greville (age 4) and Mercy Greville.

On 19th November 1902 Joseph Frederick Laycock (age 35) and Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire (age 30) were married.

Before 29th May 1918 [her former husband] Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire (age 46) and Evelyn Grace Foster Marchioness Downshire were married. She by marriage Marchioness Downshire. He the son of Arthur Hill 5th Marquess Downshire and [her former mother-in-law] Georgiana Elizabeth Balfour.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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On 29th May 1918 [her former husband] Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire (age 46) died.

On 25th January 1927 [her father] Hugh Henry Hare (age 87) died.

On 10th January 1952 [her husband] Joseph Frederick Laycock (age 84) died.

On 2nd February 1959 Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire (age 86) died.