Caithness family: Death of a Marquis 1889

John Henry Wellington Graham Loftus, fourth Marquis of Ely, died in Nice in the South of France on 3 April 1889 at the age of forty. The Hampshire Advertiser of 6 April reported his demise thus:

The report refers to Caroline Anne, wife of the deceased and daughter of George Caithness, and mentions the Caithness family association with Totton, Hampshire.

Extract from the Nice Death Register re the Marquis of Ely,
'marie a Caithness, Caroline Anne'.

John Henry Wellington Graham Loftus (1848-1889),
 fourth Marquis of Ely, with his mother Jane, third Marchioness of Ely.
 This picture was probably made when John succeeded to the title
 at the age of eight on the death of his father, the third Marquis. 
Portrait by John and Charles Watkins published by Mason and Co.

Jane, 3rd Marchioness of Ely, (3 December 1821 – 11 June 1890) was a Lady of the Bedchamber and an intimate friend of Queen Victoria. Her parents were James Hope-Vere and Lady Elizabeth Hay; through her mother she was a cousin of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. After her marriage to John Loftus, the third Marquis of Ely, Jane developed friendships with Queen Sophie of the Netherlands and the Empress Eugénie. Jane arrived at court as a Lady of the Bedchamber in 1851 continuing to serve until April 1889 when after the death of her only son (see above) she wrote the Queen tendering her resignation, reporting that ‘this last blow has quite crushed’ her. Jane died on 1 June 1890 and is buried at Kensal Green cemetery, London.

John Henry Wellington Graham Loftus was born on 22 November 1849. He was the son of John Henry Loftus, 3rd Marquess of Ely and Jane Hope-Vere. He married Caroline Anne Caithness, daughter of George Caithness, on 9 December 1875. He died on 3 April 1889 at age 39, without issue. He succeeded to the title of 4th Baron Loftus of Long Loftus, co. York on 15 July 1857. He succeeded to the title of 5th Baronet Tottenham on 15 July 1857. He succeeded to the title of 4th Baron Loftus of Loftus Hall, co. Wexfordon 15 July 1857. He succeeded to the title of 4th Marquess of Ely on 15 July 1857. He succeeded to the title of 4th Earl of Ely on 15 July 1857. He succeeded to the title of 4th Viscount Loftus of Ely on 15 July 1857. Source: www.thepeerage.com/p8545.htm#i85449

For more on Caroline Anne Caithness see

molegenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/07/souvenir-saturday-caithness-scorey.html

Acknowledgement:

Tom Sheldon