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Lot Essay
Harriot Mellon was the daughter of Sarah Mellon, an Irish strolling player, and an impecunious lieutenant in the Madras Cavalry. Harriot made her first appearance on the stage at the age of eleven in a farce called The Spoiled Child at Ulverstone in 1788. Her career as an actress came to an abrupt end, however, on her marriage in 1815 to her long-time admirer, the 83 year-old banker Thomas Coutts. On his death shortly thereafter he left her his sole legatee. The Morning Post recorded that "some time previous to his death he settled upon Mrs. C. the sum of £600,000 with the house in Stratton-street, all the plate, linen, etc. - the service of plate is said to be the most valuable of any of the country - together with the house in Highgate and all its appurtances...the whole makes her the richest widow in the United Kingdom."
Within three years of Coutt's death, reports of an impending marriage between his widow and the 21-year old heir to the Dukedom of St. Alban's were rife. William Beauclerk succeeded to the Dukedom in 1825 and almost immediately proposed marriage to Mrs. Coutts. They were married 16 June 1827. The Duchess was renowned both for the extravagance of her hospitality and her generosity to those in need. She was vilified by the popular press, who lost no opportunity in attacking her, and she appears to have been either wildly hated or greatly loved by all in society. The Royal Dukes, with the exception of the Duke of Clarence (later William IV) were all regular visitors.
The Duchess died in 1837, leaving the bulk of her estate to Angela Burdett-Coutts, her step-daughter. Contemporary newspaper accounts gleefully pointed out that her fortune was equivalent to thirteen tons of gold, or if not in sovereigns it would stretch over twenty-four miles and take ten weeks to count. Angela Burdett-Coutts used her wealth to amass a large art collection and to fund numerous philanthropic schemes for which she was created a Baroness by Queen Victoria in 1871. She resisted numerous suitors until her marriage in 1881 to an American, William Bartlett of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Bartlett took the name of Burdett-Coutts in lieu of his own and sat as M. P. for Westminster from 1885 on and gave his wife considerable assistance in her charitable activities. Baroness Burdett-Coutts died on 30 December 1906, and her body lay in state for two days, during which time 30,000 people, both rich and poor, paid their last respects. She was buried in Westminster Abbey on 5 January 1906. After her death, the bulk of the Duchess's silver remained in storage until 1914 when it was sold by Christie's.
Within three years of Coutt's death, reports of an impending marriage between his widow and the 21-year old heir to the Dukedom of St. Alban's were rife. William Beauclerk succeeded to the Dukedom in 1825 and almost immediately proposed marriage to Mrs. Coutts. They were married 16 June 1827. The Duchess was renowned both for the extravagance of her hospitality and her generosity to those in need. She was vilified by the popular press, who lost no opportunity in attacking her, and she appears to have been either wildly hated or greatly loved by all in society. The Royal Dukes, with the exception of the Duke of Clarence (later William IV) were all regular visitors.
The Duchess died in 1837, leaving the bulk of her estate to Angela Burdett-Coutts, her step-daughter. Contemporary newspaper accounts gleefully pointed out that her fortune was equivalent to thirteen tons of gold, or if not in sovereigns it would stretch over twenty-four miles and take ten weeks to count. Angela Burdett-Coutts used her wealth to amass a large art collection and to fund numerous philanthropic schemes for which she was created a Baroness by Queen Victoria in 1871. She resisted numerous suitors until her marriage in 1881 to an American, William Bartlett of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Bartlett took the name of Burdett-Coutts in lieu of his own and sat as M. P. for Westminster from 1885 on and gave his wife considerable assistance in her charitable activities. Baroness Burdett-Coutts died on 30 December 1906, and her body lay in state for two days, during which time 30,000 people, both rich and poor, paid their last respects. She was buried in Westminster Abbey on 5 January 1906. After her death, the bulk of the Duchess's silver remained in storage until 1914 when it was sold by Christie's.