Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk (died 1773)
Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk (née Mary Blount; c. 1712 – 1773), was a British noblewoman after whom Norfolk Island, a small island in the Pacific Ocean, was named.
Early life
The youngest of three daughters of Edward Blount (d. 1726) of
Activities
The pair were socially active, using their position as the highest-ranking peers in the kingdom to promote
She proceeded to renovate Worksop Manor House. After it burned down in 1761, the Duchess had it restored once again.[4] The childless couple had decided to rebuild the house for the benefit of their nephew Thomas Howard, heir presumptive to the dukedom. Further building was abandoned after the deaths of Thomas and his half-brother Edward in 1763 and 1767, respectively.[5]
Death and legacy
The Duchess died in 1773. Her marriage had been childless and her husband survived her. According to the astronomer William Wales, she had asked the explorer Captain James Cook to name an island after her.[6] He had not heard about the Duchess's death when he discovered a suitable one which he named Norfolk Island in her honour.[7]
Bibliography
- Of Her Making: the cultural practices of Mary Blount, 9th Duchess of Norfolk, Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature, 2012.
References
- ^ a b The Music Room From Norfolk House, St James' Square, London
- ^ The mysterious Mr Cuenot
- ^ Norfolk House Music Room Archived 2012-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The house keepers". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020.
- ^ Worksop Manor
- ^ 225 Years Ago: October – December 1774
- ^ "Norfolk Island History and Culture". Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.