Biography of Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax 1838-1919

In 1830 [her father] William Courtenay 11th Earl Devon [aged 22] and [her mother] Elizabeth Fortescue Countess Devon [aged 28] were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Hugh Fortescue 1st Earl Fortescue [aged 76] and [her grandmother] Hester Granville Countess Fortescue [aged 64]. He the son of William Courtenay 10th Earl Devon [aged 52] and Henrietta Leslie Pepys Countess Devon [aged 52]. They were sixth cousins.

On 1st May 1838 Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax was born to William Courtenay 11th Earl Devon [aged 31] and Elizabeth Fortescue Countess Devon [aged 36].

On 19th March 1859 [her grandfather] William Courtenay 10th Earl Devon [aged 81] died. His son [her father] William [aged 51] succeeded 11th Earl Devon. [her mother] Elizabeth Fortescue Countess Devon [aged 57] by marriage Countess Devon.

On 27th January 1867 [her mother] Elizabeth Fortescue Countess Devon [aged 65] died.

On 22nd April 1869 Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 30] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 30] were married. She the daughter of William Courtenay 11th Earl Devon [aged 62] and Elizabeth Fortescue Countess Devon.

On 7th July 1870 [her son] Charles Reginald Lindley Wood was born to [her husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 31] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 32].

On 25th August 1871 [her daughter] Alexandra Mary Elizabeth Wood was born to [her husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 32] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 33].

On 21st September 1873 [her son] Francis Hugh Lindley Wood was born to [her husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 34] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 35].

On 25th March 1877 [her daughter] Mary Agnes Emily Wood Baroness Bingley was born to [her husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 38] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 38]. She married 17th March 1905 George Lane-Fox 1st Baron Bingley and had issue.

On 25th January 1879 [her son] Henry Paul Lindley Wood was born to [her husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 40] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 40]. He died aged seven in 1886.

On 16th April 1881 [her son] Edward Frederick Lindley Wood 1st Earl Halifax was born to [her husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 42] and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 42]. He married 21st September 1909 Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow Countess Halifax, daughter of William Onslow 4th Earl Onslow and Florence Coulston Gardner Countess Onslow, and had issue.

On 8th August 1885 [her father-in-law] Charles Wood 1st Viscount Halifax [aged 84] died. His son [her husband] Charles [aged 46] succeeded 2nd Viscount Halifax, 4th Baronet Wood of Barnsley in Yorkshire. Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 47] by marriage Viscountess Halifax.

On 6th June 1886 [her son] Henry Paul Lindley Wood [aged 7] died.

On 18th November 1888 [her father] William Courtenay 11th Earl Devon [aged 81] died at Powderham Castle [Map]. His son [her brother] Edward [aged 52] succeeded 12th Earl Devon.

On 17th March 1889 [her son] Francis Hugh Lindley Wood [aged 15] died.

On 6th September 1890 [her son] Charles Reginald Lindley Wood [aged 20] died.

On 15th January 1891 [her brother] Edward Baldwin Courtenay 12th Earl Devon [aged 54] died. His uncle Henry [aged 80] succeeded 13th Earl Devon.

On 17th March 1905 [her son-in-law] George Lane-Fox 1st Baron Bingley [aged 34] and [her daughter] Mary Agnes Emily Wood Baroness Bingley [aged 27] were married.

On 21st September 1909 [her son] Edward Frederick Lindley Wood 1st Earl Halifax [aged 28] and [her daughter-in-law] Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow Countess Halifax [aged 24] were married. She the daughter of William Onslow 4th Earl Onslow [aged 56] and Florence Coulston Gardner Countess Onslow [aged 56].

On 4th July 1919 Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax [aged 81] died.

1920. William Logsdail [aged 60]. Portrait of Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax.

On 19th January 1934 [her former husband] Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax [aged 95] died. His son Edward [aged 52] succeeded 3rd Viscount Halifax, 5th Baronet Wood of Barnsley in Yorkshire. Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow Countess Halifax [aged 49] by marriage Viscountess Halifax.

The Times. 24th December 1959. From Our Correspondent STAMFORD BRIDGE [Map], Dec. 23. The [her son] Earl of Halifax [deceased] died to-night at his home at Garrowby, near York. He was 78 and had been suffering from a chest complaint. [her grandson-in-law] Lord [aged 53] and [her granddaughter] Baroness Feversham [aged 49], Lord [aged 47] and Lady Irwin [aged 43], Lady Clarissa Duncombe [aged 21], and Baroness Bingley were at Garrowby when he died. Baroness Feversham said he had suffered from poor breathing for some time and that had been aggravated by a chest infection. Last July Lord Halifax broke his hip when walking in his garden and was flown to London for an operation at University College Hospital. He made a remarkable recovery from the accident. In September he and Lady Halifax celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. The funeral will be in private. A memorial service and requiem will be held in York Minster [Map] next Monday at 11 a.m. The date of a service in London is to be announced later. Obituary on page 8. MR. SELWYN LLOYD'S TRIBUTE Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, Foreign Secretary, in a tribute to Lord Halifax last night, said: "He held high office, as Viceroy of India, Foreign Secretary, and finally as Ambassador to Washington. He adorned each of these offices with his integrity, his idealism, and his ability. He was a great public servant. He will be deeply mourned." WASHINGTON, Dec. 23. Mr. Douglas Dillon, the acting Secretary of State, to-night issued this statement: "The many Americans who knew Lord Halifax deeply regret his passing. He was ever a staunch friend of this country and during his years of public life contributed greatly to the strengthening of Anglo-American relations. He is particularly remembered for his dedicated service to the cause of humanity during the crucial war years as British Ambassador in Washington." Reuter.