Lady Blanche Craven
(1842-1930)

Volume 10, page 88, sitting number 12,720.

[For this sitting, Lady Blanche Craven visited Silvy's studio sometime between 24 February and 5 March 1863. At the time, Silvy was away for the winter and the studio was being run by his partner, Auguste Renoult, who was less meticulous than Silvy about recording the exact date of the sittings in the daybooks.]

Lady Blanche Craven was born on 24 December 1842, the third daughter and fifth child of William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven and Lady Emily Mary née Grimston. On 25 January 1865 she married George William Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry, who had succeeded his grandfather when he was five years old. The marriage produced nine children.

Lady Coventry died on 16 March 1930, aged 87, at Croome Court in Worcestershire. Her husband had died three days earlier. 

A lengthy obituary appeared in The Scotsman (17 March 1930). 'Blanche Countess of Coventry died early yesterday at Croome Court, three days almost to the minute after the death of her husband, the famous racing Peer and "Father" of the House of Lords. For 65 years she had been a devoted wife. She remained with her husband in his illness to the last, and within an hour of his death she took to her bed, saying more than once that she now had no desire to live any longer. 

'The third daughter of the second Earl of Craven, she was 87 years of age, and the 65th anniversary of her marriage with the late Earl was celebrated in January. The finest tribute of her devotion was that paid by her husband on the occasion of their diamond wedding, when there were present their six sons, three daughters, and 21 grandchildren. "If," he said, "I would ascribe to one thing more than another the happy position in which I find myself to-day, I would lay it to the care and devotion of Lady Coventry, who for so many years has been my helper and my friend. She is the best wife a man ever had, a true helpmate of whom, whatever I could say, would fall short of the truth."

'The charm and warmth of her nature won Lady Coventry popularity wherever she went. She took an active interest in all forms of social work, particularly the Red Cross Society, and she did much for the local organisation in Worcestershire.

'Her father disapproved of hunting, and Lady Coventry hunted little before her marriage. Afterwards she became an enthusiastic follower of hounds, accompanying the Earl until late in life. The following anecdote illustrating their common interest in this sport was often told by Lord Coventry. Neither he nor Lady Coventry knew fear, and on one occasion they had cleared several obstacles when they approached a stone wall. The wall was of no great height and they rode at it side by side. When they could see over it they discovered to their horror that a deep disused quarry lay immediately on the other side. They sat well back in their saddles and held on to the reins like grim death. The bottom of the quarry was covered with loose stones, and they were both thrown. One horse was killed, but Lord and Lady Coventry escaped with a severe shaking and slight concussion.'