We hear wedding speeches from the bride/groom extolling the virtues of their partner. Most of them marry someone that is at least decent, and not reprehensible. The same cannot be said for: Lady Mary Eleanor Bowes' husband, Andrew Robinson Stoney Bowes who was awarded the title of "Britain's Worst Husband".
In a time where few people (and no women) were granted a divorce, Mary Eleanor was given one. Though it was not without much perseverance, tenacity, and many many servants and friends.
Mary Eleanor Bowes was born 24 February 1749 to Sir George Bowes and Mary Gilbert, she was his only child and heiress to an enormous fortune (many coal mines). He died when she was 11, and she became the wealthiest heiress in all of Great Britain. At the age of 16, she became engaged to John Lyon, the Earl of Strathmore. They married on her 18th birthday. Due to a stipulation in her father's will, her husband took on the last name of Bowes. Some of her children would later take on their father's last name as well, becoming Bowes-Lyon (they are direct ancestors of the Queen Mother).
Mary Eleanor had interests in botany and literature, and used her wealth to support expeditions to South Africa to acquire plants for her growing gardens and greenhouses.
She gave birth to five children with John: Maria (born 1768), John (born 1769), Anna (born 1770), George (born 1771), and William (born 1773).
Unfortunately, in 1776 her husband John Lyons contracted tuberculosis and died, leaving her wide open to unscrupulous fortune hunters. At least during her widowhood, she was able to retain control of her own estates.
Before Stoney, Mary conducted a long term affair with George Gray, a man who had squandered his first wife's fortune. Mary became pregnant by him four times (she was evidently incredible fertile), of which three ended in a self-induced abortion. She was hesitant to marry him, due to his lack of rank and propensity to squander fortunes. However, during her fourth pregnancy she decided to marry him and they became engaged in August 1777.
In walks in Andrew Robinson Stoney......
A charming, manipulative sociopath wiled his way into the household of the Dowager Countess. Then he put his plan into action. He had previously married a wealthy woman, who died and he was out of money. The perfect plum for the picking was the wealthiest widow, Mary Eleanor. Although, Mary was not quite as foolish as first thought, as she had a prenuptial agreement written up before her impending marriage to Gray. The agreement stated that she has sole control of her entire fortune. One night, Mary Eleanor rushed to the deathbed of Andrew promised to love, honour and obey him until death them part. Little did she know, that he was not in fact mortally wounded but was an actor of epic proportions.
Newspapers had published rumours and gossip about Mary Eleanor. Although dueling was technically illegal, it was still widely practiced amongst the gentry and upper classes. Andrew Stoney challenged one editor of a newspaper to a duel to defend Mary's honour and dignity. The editor (unscrupulous himself) participated in this farce. Andrew "mortally wounded" after their duel. Mary Eleanor rushed to his deathbed and overcome with gratitude asked him what his last wish was and asked that she marry him. Of course she said yes, and a minister was quickly found.
He didn't even wait a couple days before "getting better". It was Mary Eleanor's biggest regret and once he found out about the prenuptial agreement, he made her sign a revocation of it. Though she had carefully given the original prenup to her loyal servant. Over a decade of marriage, he leveled a series of abuses upon her that shocked even the more severe Georgian Brits. Their servants would report that they would see him pinch, punch, kick, burn her and of course verbally abuse her. Most of the servants remained mum, because they were in the pay of Andrew and he would explain away the abuses. He would also frequently rape the female servants, impregnate many of them and then force them to give birth in a brothel and abandon them. Also, her children were in the custody of her former brother-in-law, Thomas Lyon, who refused her any access. Andrew would try a series of stunts to try to wrest them from their uncle and thus have more playing chips for Mary Eleanor's money was only at his disposal as long as she was still alive.
In walks in Mary Morgan, a servant recommended by their minister, and not under the influence of Andrew. After witnessing much of the abuse, Mary Eleanor took this lovely woman into her confidences and told her everything that had happened over the years. Morgan was appalled. Over months, two more servants were hired and Morgan took them into her confidences about Mary's maltreatment. One night, Andrew was out and they put their plan into action to flee. Mary hid under her servants clothing and fled as fast as she could. Her chaperones were distracted until it was too late and quickly informed Andrew who came home as fast as he could.
Morgan and the two other servants quickly followed her, leaving behind all of their wages and their belongings and met up at a predetermined location. However, her fight was not over. Her fortune, her two children with Andrew and her estate was still in the hands of Andrew.
To be continued........
