Frances Margaret Wodehouse, Countess of Kimberley (1 December 1884 – 4 January 1950), was an English socialite and member of the

Bright Young Things __NOTOC__ The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People, was a group of Bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in London during the Roaring Twenties. The name was given to them by the tabloid press. They threw flamboyant fancy dress part ...

. She married three times, always to members of the British aristocracy. She scandalised society when she went to live with her future second husband without waiting for her divorce to be effective.

Biography

Frances Margaret Irby was the only daughter of Lt.-Col. Leonard Howard Loyd Irby and Mary Brandling.Mosley, Charles, editor. ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage'', 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003 From her presentation at court on 1 June 1906, presented by Lady de Blaquiere, Irby was, according to the journals of the time, somewhat wild. She married three times. On 12 December 1905, Irby married Sir Morgan George Crofton, 6th Baronet (1879–1958), son of Capt. Edward Hugh Crofton and Isabel Annie Julia Miller; they divorced on 8 April 1910. They had one son, Major Morgan George Crofton (1907–1947). Irby left Crofton for James Montagu without waiting for the divorce, creating a huge scandal, since she went to live with Montagu. On 22 October 1910 she married James Fountayne Montagu (1887–1971) of

Papplewick Hall Papplewick Hall is a Grade I listed English country house in Papplewick, Nottinghamshire. History It was completed around 1787 for the Hon. Frederick Montagu, and is probably the work of William Lindley of Doncaster.Notes on Papplewick, in J P ...

, son of James Wilson Montagu and Laura Adeline Thellusson; they divorced 1921. On 5 May 1922 she married

John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley, (11 November 1883 – 16 April 1941), styled Lord Wodehouse from 1902 to 1932, was a British hereditary peer and Liberal politician. He was a champion polo player. Background Wodehouse was the eldest son ...

, son of John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley, and Isabel Geraldine Stracey.''The New York Times'' 6 May 1922 "LORD WODEHOUSE WEDS MRS. FRANCES MONTAGU; Bride of Polo Player and ex-Member of Parliament Had Been Married Twice Before" Page 7 When they married, a reporter asked the question "Can Lord Wodehouse's Love Tame His Lively Bride?" They had one son,

John Wodehouse, 4th Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 4th Earl of Kimberley (12 May 1924 – 26 May 2002), styled Lord Wodehouse between 1932 and 1941, was an active British peer, and also a bobsled racer and Cresta member. Background and education Wodehouse was the son of John W ...

(1924–2002). Lady Kimberley died on 4 January 1950.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irby, Margaret 1884 births 1950 deaths Wives of baronets English socialites

Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia Queensland * Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas South Australia * County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia Ta ...