Clarissa Madeline Georgiana Felicite Tennant (later Bethell, Tennyson and Beck; 13 July 1896 – 3 September 1960), known as Clare Tennant, was a British socialite, prominent in early 20th century high society in London.

Early life

Clare was born on 13 July 1896. She was the only daughter of

Edward Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner Edward Priaulx Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner (31 May 1859 – 21 November 1920), known as Sir Edward Tennant, 2nd Baronet from 1906 to 1911, was a Scottish businessman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician. In 1911 he was raised to the p ...

, and Pamela Wyndham. Among her brothers was poet

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

Stephen Stephen or Steven is an English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is w ...

and

David Tennant David John Tennant (; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the Tenth Doctor, tenth and Fourteenth Doctor, fourteenth incarnations of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction series ''Docto ...

. Her paternal grandparents were Emma Winsloe and

Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet Sir Charles Clow Tennant, 1st Baronet, (4 November 1823 – 4 June 1906) was a Scottish businessman, industrialist and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician. Early life Tennant was the son of John Tennant (1796–1878) and Robina (née Arrol ...

. Her uncle was

Harold Tennant Harold John Tennant Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, PC (18 November 1865 – 9 November 1935), often known as Jack Tennant, was a Scottish Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician. He served as Secretary of State for Scotland, Secre ...

, and her aunt,

Margot Tennant Emma Alice Margaret Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (' Tennant; 2 February 1864 – 28 July 1945), known as Margot Asquith, was a British socialite and author. She was married to British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith from 1894 to his ...

was the wife of Prime Minister

H. H. Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928) was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. He was the last ...

. In her younger years she was often seen at the Ritz Hotel in London, dining with the likes of Lady Cynthia Asquith,

Osbert Sitwell Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th Baronet CH CBE (6 December 1892 – 4 May 1969) was an English writer. His elder sister was Edith Sitwell and his younger brother was Sacheverell Sitwell. Like them, he devoted his life to art and l ...

, Gilbert Russell and Maud Nelke. Mary Abbott describes her as a "notorious 'bolter'", while

Barbara Cartland Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland (9 July 1901 – 21 May 2000) was an English writer who published both contemporary and historical romance novels, the latter set primarily during the Victorian or Edwardian period. Cartland is one of the ...

in her 1970 autobiography "We Danced All Night" called her "one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen".

Personal life

She married three times. Her first marriage was to William ''Adrian'' Vincent Bethell, whom she married on 18 August 1915. Before they divorced in 1918, they were the parents of one daughter: * Diana Hermione Bethell (1916–1967), who married Richard Purcell Blow, and had issue, the author Simon Blow On 27 March 1918, she remarried to Major Hon. Lionel Tennyson (later the 3rd Baron Tennyson), grandson of poet

Alfred, Lord Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of ...

and the son of

Audrey Audrey () is a feminine given name. It is rarely a masculine given name. Audrey is the Anglo-Norman form of the Anglo-Saxon name ''Æðelþryð'', composed of the elements '' æðel'' "noble" and '' þryð'' "strength". The literal definition of ...

and

Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, (11 August 1852 – 2 December 1928) was a British aristocrat who served as the second governor-general of Australia, in office from 1903 to 1904. He was previously Governor of South Australia from 1899 to ...

, Governor-General of Australia. Before their divorce in 1928, they were the parents of three sons, including the 4th and 5th

Baron Tennyson Baron Tennyson, of Aldworth in the County of Sussex and of Freshwater in the Isle of Wight, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1884 for the poet Alfred Tennyson. His son, the second Baron, served as Governor-Gen ...

: * Harold Christopher Tennyson (1919–1991), the 4th Baron Tennyson who died unmarried * Mark Aubrey Tennyson (1920–2006), the 5th Baron Tennyson who married Deline Celeste Budler but died without issue * Lionel Tennyson (1925–1925), who died in infancy In 1928, she married James Montgomery Beck Jr., son of

James M. Beck James Montgomery Beck (July 9, 1861 – April 12, 1936) was an American lawyer, politician, and author from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, who se ...

, a Republican

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from Pennsylvania who served as U.S. Solicitor General under Presidents

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...

and

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...

. Before their separation in 1936 and divorce in 1939, they became the parents of twins: * James Montgomery Beck III (1929–2006), who adopted Rev. David Lawson-Beck * Virginia Clare Beck (1929–2008) She died on 3 September 1960 aged 64 and is buried at the Traquair Kirkyard in Traquair, Scotland.Ancestry.com. ''Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current'' atabase on-line Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

References

Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tennant, Clare 1896 births 1960 deaths Daughters of barons English socialites