Lady Louisa Magenis
(1837-1918)
27 May 1861

Volume 3, page 315, sitting number 3941.

Born in Southampton on 17 November 1837, Lady Louisa Ann Lowry-Corry was the daughter of Armar Lowry-Corry, Viscount Corry, later 3rd Earl of Belmore.

She married Richard Henry Magenis on 14 June 1860 at Waringstown, County Down, Ireland.

According to Hart's Army List for 1863, Richard Henry Magenis retired with the rank of Major from the 32nd Regiment of Foot on 20 July 1858. 

When the census was taken in 1861, Lady Louisa was living at Sandleford in Berkshire with her husband. A retired Major in the Army, aged 29, he was a British Subject born in Mauritius. 

The following appeal appeared in The Echo (12 December 1887) under the header 'Who would not help,' inviting donations to a charity sale organised by Lady Magenis: ' Lady Louisa Magenis, who has for some time past devoted much time and philanthropic labour to the poor of the East-end, is just now trying to raise funds to provide for a district nurse for Poplar, and also to establish club-rooms for girls and young women engaged in factory work. A bazaar is generally the expedient resorted to in such cases, but her ladyship has hit upon such a novel idea of hers that it deserves notice. It is to be held on the 22nd, and is defined as an "American" or "rummage" sale, and is to consist solely of second-hand articles. These will be marked at the lowest prices, and are gladly bought up by the poor of the locality. Cast-off clothing is particularly in demand, especially if warm and in fair condition.' 

Lady Louisa Ann Magenis died on 3 April 1918 at 34 Lennox Gardens, Kensington. She left an estate valued at £22,826.

A brief obituary appeared in the Bury Free Press (13 April 1918): 'On Saturday afternoon the funeral of Lady Louisa Ann Magenis, widow of Major Richard Henry Magenis, of Iveagh, County Down, and Finvoy, County Antrim, took place at Edwardstone. The late Lady Magenis, who was a sister of Col. the Hon. H. W. L. Corry, of Edwardstone Hall, died recently in London, at the age of 80. Major Magenis, of the 90th Light Infantry, served in the Crimea, at the siege and fall of Sebastopol, also in India, in the defense and relief of Lucknow.'