Frances Ellen Work (October 27, 1857 – January 26, 1947) was an American heiress and socialite. She was a great-grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her great-great-grandchildren include the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Sussex, and the American actor Oliver Platt.
Frances was born in New York City on October 27, 1857. She was a daughter of Franklin H. Work (1819–1911), a well-known stockbroker and protégé of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and his wife, Ellen Wood (1831–1877). Her sister Lucy Work (1861–1934) was married to Peter Cooper Hewitt (1861–1921).
In 1892, Frances was included in Ward McAllister's "Four Hundred", purported to be an index of New York's best families, published in The New York Times. Conveniently, 400 was the number of people that could fit into Mrs. Astor's ballroom.
She was a prominent figure in the New York City and Newport, Rhode Island, social sets, and was friends with Mrs Reginald Vanderbilt.
When her father died in 1911, he left an estate, for the benefit of her, her children, and her sister, of nearly $15,000,000. In his will, he stipulated that no part of his estate was to go to his "erstwhile son-in-law, James Boothby Burke Roche."
On September 22, 1880, at Christ Church, New York City, Frances Work married the Hon. James Boothby Burke Roche (1852–1920), who would later become the 3rd Baron Fermoy in 1920 after his brother, Edward Roche, 2nd Baron Fermoy, died without any male heirs. He was the son of Edmond Roche, 1st Baron Fermoy and Elizabeth Caroline Boothby. They had four children: two daughters, and twin sons:
Frances divorced Roche in Delaware for desertion in 1891, before he had succeeded to the barony. Her lawyer was Thomas F. Bayard, former United States Secretary of State. In 1899, her ex-husband, then a Member of Parliament, sued her with a Writ of Habeas Corpus to produce their daughter in Court, stating that she was depriving "the child of her liberty." The case was settled out of Court shortly thereafter.
On August 4, 1905, the Hon. Mrs. Burke Roche married Aurel de Batonyi, a Hungarian-born riding instructor and society horseman. When he immigrated to the United States on the White Star liner Majestic in 1891, Batonyi had claimed he was a count. It was also suggested that his real name was Arthur Cohn. Work sued de Batonyi for divorce two years after their marriage, allegedly because her father threatened to disinherit her if she continued to live with her husband.
Work died in the city of her birth, at her residence 1020 Fifth Avenue, at the age of 89 on January 26, 1947.
Work's great-great-grandchildren include the British princes William and Harry and the American actor Oliver Platt.
Complete article available at this page.
This post have 0 komentar
EmoticonEmoticon