Lady Frances Lady Coningsby and Lady Catherine Jones

Lady Catherine Jones (1672 – 14 April 1740) was an English philanthropist, interested in women's rights and education, and chose to be buried with her long-time friend, Mary Kendall (8 November 1677 – 4 March 1710), inside

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

Biography

Lady Catherine Jones was the daughter of

Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh (8 February 1641 – 5 January 1712), known as The Viscount Ranelagh between 1669 and 1677, was an Irish peer, politician both in the Parliaments of England and Ireland. Background He was born in Ireland th ...

, and Elizabeth (d. 1695), daughter of

Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham (baptised 1614; died 23 July 1666 O.S., 2 August 1666 Old Style and New Style dates, N.S.) was an English people, English Peerage of England, peer of the House of Lords. He succeeded to the tit ...

. Her sister, Elizabeth, married

John FitzGerald, 18th Earl of Kildare John Holles FitzGerald, 18th Earl of Kildare (1661 – 9 November 1707), styled Lord Offaly until 1664, was an Irish peer. He is an ancestor of United States President John F. Kennedy. Background Kildare was the son of Wentworth FitzGerald, 17 ...

. Her twin sister Frances (1672–1715) married

Thomas Coningsby, 1st Earl Coningsby Thomas Coningsby, 1st Earl Coningsby Privy Council of England, PC (2 November 1656 – 1 May 1729) of Hampton Court Castle, Herefordshire, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times fr ...

. Her brothers, Edward (1675–1678) and Arthur, died young. Her own grandmother,

Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh (22 March 1615 – 23 December 1691), also known as Lady Ranelagh, was an Anglo-Irish scientist in seventeenth-century Britain. She was also a political and religious philosopher, and a member of many inte ...

, was a female scientist, a political and religious philosopher, and a member of many intellectual circles including the

Hartlib Circle The Hartlib Circle was the correspondence network set up in Western and Central Europe by Samuel Hartlib, an intelligencer based in London, and his associates, in the period 1630 to 1660. Hartlib worked closely with John Dury, an itinerant figure ...

, the

Great Tew Circle The Great Tew Circle was a group of clerics and literary figures who gathered in the 1630s at the manor house of Great Tew, Oxfordshire in southern England, and in London. Lord Clarendon referred to the Circle as "A college situate in a purer a ...

, and the Invisible College. In 1695 John Norris, philosopher, dedicated ''Letters Concerning the Love of God'' to Lady Catherine; the letters were exchanged between Norris and

Mary Astell Mary Astell (12 November 1666 – 11 May 1731) was an English protofeminist author, philosopher, and rhetorician who advocated for equal educational opportunities for women. Astell is primarily remembered as one of England's inaugural advocate ...

. At the death of her father in 1711, Lady Catherine inherited

Ranelagh House Ranelagh Gardens (; alternative spellings include Ranelegh and Ranleigh, the latter reflecting the English pronunciation) were public pleasure gardens located in Chelsea, London, Chelsea, then just outside London, England, in the 18th century ...

, built by her father adjoining the

Royal Hospital Chelsea The Royal Hospital Chelsea is an Old soldiers' home, Old Soldiers' retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Founded as an almshouse — the ancient sense of the word "hospital" — by King Charles II of Eng ...

. Twenty years later she let it to two builders who re-let it to James Lacy, who with

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

managed the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

. In 1741, after the death of Lady Catherine, Ranelagh House was sold to Crispe and Meyomet, who erected a rotunda in its place. In 1716 Lady Catherine was living on Jews' Row where she continued to live until after Mary Astell's death in 1731 (Astell moved with her in 1726), although in 1730, her house is listed as empty. After withdrawing from public life in 1709, Astell founded a

charity school Charity schools, sometimes called blue coat schools, or simply the Blue School, were significant in the history of education in England. They were built and maintained in various parishes by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants to ...

for girls in Chelsea. According to the reports at present in the Royal Hospital Chelsea, this charity school for the education of the daughters of the Pensioners of Chelsea Hospital was established in 1729 by Lady Catherine,

Lady Elizabeth Hastings Lady Elizabeth Hastings (19 April 1682 – 21 December 1739), also known as Lady Betty, was an English philanthropist, religious devotee and supporter of women's education. She was an intelligent and energetic woman, with a wide circle of conn ...

, Lady Ann Coventry and other benevolent persons. When she was 60 years old, in 1726, Astell was invited to live with Jones, with whom she resided until her death in 1731. A letter from

Thomas Birch Thomas Birch (23 November 17059 January 1766) was an English historian. Life He was the son of Joseph Birch, a coffee-mill maker, and was born at Clerkenwell. He preferred study to business but, as his parents were Quakers, he did not go to ...

to George Ballard stated that Astell lived with Lady Catherine in Chelsea. One more possible trace of residence occurred in a letter from Astell to Sir

Hans Sloane Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet, (16 April 1660 – 11 January 1753), was an Irish physician, naturalist, and collector. He had a collection of 71,000 items which he bequeathed to the British nation, thus providing the foundation of the British ...

dated 25 April 1724, from Manor Street. Lady Catherine died on 14 April 1740.

Burial and relationship with Kendall

Lady Catherine' ashes were buried in the chapel of St John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey mingled with those of Mary Kendall, died 4 March 1710. The inscription reads:

"Mrs Mary Kendall daughter of Thomas Kendall Esqr. and of Mrs Mary Hallet, his wife, of Killigarth in Cornwall, was born at Westmr. Nov.8 1677 and dy'd at Epsome March 4, 1709/10, having reach'd the full term of her blessed Saviour's life; and study'd to imitate his spotless example. She had great virtues, and as great a desire of concealing them: was of a severe life, but of an easy conversation; courteous to all, yet strictly sincere; humble, without meanness; beneficient, without ostentation; devout, without superstition. These admirable qualitys, in which she was equall'd by few of her sex, surpass'd by none, render'd her every way worthy of that close union and friendship in which she liv'd with the Lady Catherine Jones; and in testimony of which she desir'd that even their ashes, after death, might not be divided: and, therefore, order'd her selfe here to be interr'd where, she knew, that excellent Lady design'd one day to rest, near the grave of her belov'd and religious mother, Elizabeth, Countess of Ranelagh. This monument was erected by Capt. Charles Kendall".

Mary Kendall was the niece of James Kendall, politician and governor of Barbados, who is buried in the south choir aisle of Westminster Abbey. She was born on 8 November 1677, the daughter of Thomas Kendall, Esquire (d. 1684), and of Mary Hallet, of Killigarth in Cornwall. She lived with Lady Catherine, and when she died, on 4 March 1709/10, she asked to be buried in the chapel of St John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey since she knew that Lady Catherine wanted to rest near her beloved mother, Elizabeth, Countess of Ranelagh, who was already buried there. Moreover, Mary Kendall asked that, considering the "close union and friendship in which she lived with the Lady Catherine Jones ..she desired that even their ashes, after death, might not be divided".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Catherine 1672 births 1740 deaths 17th-century English nobility 17th-century English women 17th-century English LGBTQ people 18th-century English nobility 18th-century English women 18th-century English LGBTQ people Burials at Westminster Abbey Daughters of Irish earls English philanthropists English women philanthropists English twins