Susanna Montgomerie, Countess of Eglinton (1690 – 18 March 1780) was the third wife of Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton. She lived as a widow for nearly 51 yearsRobertson, Page 104. before dying at Auchans, Scotland in 1780, aged 90.Love, Page 227. She signed herself as S. Eglintoune.Fraser, Page 352
Background Born at Culzean Castle in 1690, Lady Eglinton was the daughter of Sir Archibald Kennedy, 1st Baronet of Culzean, and the Hon. Elizabeth Leslie, daughter of David Leslie, 1st Lord Newark.
Personal qualities, marriage and anecdotes
Lady Eglinton was celebrated for her beauty and height (6 feet),Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.231 and for her patronage of the Scottish poets and writers of her day. She was exceptional in her knowledge of art, music, literature, science, philosophy and history; additionally she spoke Italian, French and German.McEvoy, Page 311 Her interest in literature was seen by her contemporaries to be distinctly odd for one of her station.Cousins, Page 53 Sir William Fraser, the Scottish historian, said that "to her loveliness were added the more valuable attractions of genius and great accomplishment." Fullarton suggests that Susanna's personality owed much to her maternal grandfather, General David Leslie, later Lord Newark; he was second in command at the Battle of Marston moor and in command at the Battle of Philiphaugh, on the winning side at both encounters.Fullarton, Page 61
She was beautiful and at 6-foot, unusually tall for those times.Cousins, Page 50 It is stated that, on her arrival with her father in Edinburgh around the time of the Union (1702), she was surrounded by wooers. One of these, Sir John Clerk, baronet, of Pennycuik, was deemed likeliest to succeed, but was unsuccessful. She instead married the 9th Earl in June 1709. When Susanna's father consulted him as to the propriety of the match, the earl, whose second countess was then alive but in a long-continued state of ill health, purportedly replied, "Bide awee, Sir Archie, my wife’s very sickly." Soon afterwards his second wife died of natural causes and he married again, this being to his third countess. Susanna did not immediately accept, but the earl eventually won through in spite of numerous rivals. One story relates that she had long been destined to marry the 9th Earl, for one day whilst out walking at Culzean, a hawk belonging to the Earl landed on her shoulder when she called to it and those observing saw it as a clear omen once the silver bells around its neck were seen to carry the name of the earl.Service, Page 45Robertson, Page 95.
She was married for 20 years and a widow at the age of 40, living for another 51 years.Cousins, Page 51 She brought to the family a way of walking in a stately fashion which became known as 'the Eglinton air'.Service, Page 109
The Gentle Shepherd, first published in 1725, was dedicated to her by Allan Ramsay and Hamilton of Bangour wrote flattering verse to Susanna, Lady Eglinton and her daughters. A roundelay entitled The Lovely Eglintoune became well-known throughout Scotland, being composed by Hamilton of Bangour. Ramsay referred to her penetration, superior wit and sound judgement ........ accompanied with the diviner charms of goodness and equality of mind. Samuel Boyse dedicated a volume of poems to her. Several other publications of the period were inscribed to her, and to her Ramsay also dedicated the music of his first book of songs. At a later period he presented to the countess the original manuscript of his great pastoral poem, which she afterwards gave to James Boswell, and it was for many years preserved in the library at Auchinleck House, along with the presentation letter of the poet.The Scottish Nation - Eglinton
The Gentle Shepherd
Paraphrased by Hamilton of Bangour.
Oh Eglintoun! thy happy breast, Calm and serene enjoys the heavenly guest; From the tumultuous rule of passions freed, Pure in thy thought, and spotless in thy deed; In virtues rich, in goodness unconfin'd, Thou shin'st a fair example to thy kind.Dougall, Page 228
She briefly attended the court of King George II in 1730Fraser, Page 350 and had caught the eye of the Queen, Caroline of Ansbach.Robertson, Page 98. King George II described her as the most beautiful woman in my dominions.McMichael, Page 170 Susanna's special entertainments were magnificent and it was said that they were seldom if ever equalled in any private mansion.Cousins, Page 54 She refused to attend the procession at the coronation of King George III in 1760 because of her Jacobite sympathies.Service, Page 47
Susanna retained her figure and complexion until her death, supposedly because she never used paint or cosmetics and daily washed her face with sow's milk and drank it, recommending this treatment to others. Her eyes' colour, however, went from the blue of forget-me-not to the light blue of speedwells.Service, Page 108 She once said to her daughter, Lady Bettie, "What would you give to be as pretty as I am?" to which Lady Bettie replied, "Not half as much as you would give to be as young as I am." Cummell in her lifetime recorded that her complexion was like "rhododendron and rose flowers dipped in milk."Service, Page 44 Her daughter Helen once commented, "Who can surpass Mama? She has not aged a day in years." It was believed that Susanna had discovered the secret of eternal youth, showing no signs of her beauty lessening even at the age of sixty.
When she and her daughters were in Edinburgh, the caddies at the Cross were said to be dumbfounded by their beauty as they stepped from their sedan chairs.
Paterson records that "Susanna Countess of Eglintoun was amiable, accomplished and beautiful. A portrait of her ladyship when young was in the possession of the late Mr Sharpe. He had also a miniature of her in her 81st year, when she was a fine looking, stout old lady.Google Images Her blue eyes grew lighter in colour as she advanced in years."Paterson, Page 501. Her portrait still hangs in Culzean Castle.
Dr. Robert Chambers recorded that "In her bed-rooms was hung a portrait of her sovereign de jure (in principle), the ill-starred Charles Edward, so situated as to be the first object which met her sight on awaking in the morning."Hill, Page 269 Her husband had been a covert Jacobite.
A full-length portrait (97" by 53") of Susanna as Countess in her robes was painted by Allan Ramsay and was sold at the 1925 auction of the contents of Eglinton Castle. Allan was the eldest son of Allan Ramsay the poet, who had dedicated 'The Gentle Shepherd' to Susanna.Eglinton Archive, Eglinton Country Park This painting now hangs in Culzean Castle.
Robert Campbell (Cummell) records that Quintin Crawfurd was Lady Susanna's factor.Service, Page 12
Involvement in industry
The Montgomerie family owned a number of coal mines or pits and Susanna was involved in the general supervision of miners on the estate as shown by her correspondence and the fact that she intervened in the 1749–50 labour unrest.Duckham, Page 157 The miners at this time claimed that they were forced to work a 14-hour day, six days a week in order to earn a living wage.Duckham, Page 268Whatley, Page 86
Susanna summoned the miners to Eglinton Castle to try and sort things out, as a result of which several of the miners signed a 'disclamation' which they later tried to repudiate. The lawyer who dealt with the case stated that it is probable a Lady of great Beauty of Address might prevail with some of the old Coalziers to sign any paper.Duckham, Page 290
She was very industrious and even established a distillery, later a brewery at the family's Burgh and Regality of Montgomeryston inside the walls of Cromwell's old Citadel fort at Ayr to increase her income. It seems to have been only moderately successful.Robertson, Page 103.
Offspring and stepchildren
She had three sons: James, Lord Montgomerie, who died young; Alexander, 10th Earl of Eglinton. Archibald, 11th Earl of Eglinton.
And eight daughters, who were all married but one. Lady Elizabeth married Sir John Cunningham of Caprington; Lady Helen married Francis Stuart of Pittendriech in 1745; Lady Susan married John Renton of Lamberton; Lady Margaret married Sir Alexander MacDonald in 1739; Lady Christian married James Moray of Abercairny; Lady Grace married Cornet Byrne, a debaucher and gambler, in 1751 and died in the same year; Lady Frances died unmarried.Reilly, Page 26 Lady Charlotte, who died suddenly of fever after having previously lost the use of her limbs. Lady Eleanor, who was frequently unwell and a special trip to the 'waters' at Bath did not cure her. Lady Susanna, who died of scurvy.
To them their handsome mother transmitted a nobleness of mien, distinguished at the period as the "Eglinton air." She had seven stepchildren through the earl's two previous marriages.
Two of her sons had smallpox and one had scarlet fever. Apart from Charlotte all her daughters lived long enough to marry and have children, however Susanna, the mother, outlived them all.
Lady Margaret MacDonald helped Flora MacDonald in her efforts to save Bonnie Prince Charlie whilst her husband was off fighting the Jacobites.Stewart, page 7
Death of her son Alexander, 10th Earl of Eglinton
On 24 October 1769, near Ardrossan, travelling in his carriage and four servants following him, Alexander met two men, one of whom was Mungo Campbell, an officer of excise at Saltcoats, and son of a Provost of Ayr, one of twenty-four children.Robertson (1889), Page 324 Alexander, as Mungo had previously been caught shooting game on his estates, asked Mungo to hand over the gun he was carrying, which he refused, saying that he would rather die. The earl then ordered his fowling-piece, which was not loaded, to be brought from the carriage and in the scuffle that ensued, Mungo fired at Lord Eglinton, who was mortally wounded in the bowels, and died ten hours later at about one o’clock the following morning, at Eglinton Castle, where he had been taken in his carriage.Service, Page 100 The preserved door pannel (sic) contradicts the stated course of events by stating that the Earl was instantly shot upon leaving his carriage.
A contemporary newspaper report first recorded the incident as actually being a duel over a woman in which the Earl had been worsted. Indeed, when in London (from 1760 to 1763 at the least) he stayed in Queen Street, Mayfair and according to Boswell, he kept a mistress, a Ms. or Mrs. Brown, who, in 1763, "had lived with him seven or eight years".James Boswell.info Accessed : 2010-07-22
Mungo Campbell hanged himself and thereby cheated the hangman. He left the following note -
"Farewell, vain world, I've had enough of thee, And now am careless what thou say'st of me, Thy smiles I court not, nor thy frowns I fear, My cares are past, my heart lies easy here, What faults they find in me take care to shun, And look at home, enough is to be done".Tarlton Law Library. Accessed : 2010-07-22
Susanna never quite recovered from the sight of her dying son being carried into Eglinton Castle and wrote I shall endeavour to bear my suffering with as little trouble to my fellow creatures as possible.Cousins, Page 56 Millar records that after the murder, she retired from the position which she held in society.Millar, Page 14 She had insisted that the Earl was always referred to as Lord Eglinton as a youth and he had formally led her down to dinner every night. The murderer was tried before the high court of justiciary at Edinburgh, and condemned to death, but prevented a public execution by hanging himself in prison.