Belton House, Grantham

Having handed in my thesis, Jim and I are having a couple of days away.  We went to Belton House, where we saw a Women and Power exhibition - this at the end of the National Trust's theme for the year.

Jim and I started with the below stairs tour.  As usual I was the one asking questions on the tour, some of which the tour guide did not know.  For example, if a beer ration was part of the wages (weak ale was a sterile drink when the water supply was suspect), but staff could have a cash bonus if they did not drink their full entitlement (men 3 pints per day, women 2), what happened if any of the staff were dissenters or teetotal.  The local church was Church of England, so presumably most staff would drink their entitlement.   We were taken into the strong room to see the silverware.  There was a huge silver punch bowl that one of the Earl's had been baptised in, coronets for the Earl and his wife and a complete silver dinner service that was loaned to No 10, when Thatcher was in power.  Belton House had to ask for it back when she left power, as No 10 staff appeared to forget to return it!

The four women focussed upon in Women & Power were Florence Woolward, Sophia Cust, Marian Alford and Nina Cust.

Florence Woolward 1854-1936 was the local rector's daughter, friendly with the Brownlow family through her father, and became a botanical illustrator.  The Marquess of Lothian was a world renowned orchid fancier, and Florrie was given the opportunity to paint the orchids.  This led to a major orchid catalogue in 1896, and although the first copies were attributed to the Marquess, the third publication, attributed her as assisting the Marquess!  Without Florrie there would be no record of this  orchid collection.

Sophia Cust 1811-1882 was the leisured daughter of the 1st Earl Brownlow, and painted watercolours of the gardens and mansion.  This gives the historical restoration of Belton some factual detail of the 19th century.

Marian Alford 1817-1888, was widowed at 34 and trustee of her eldest son, John Cust's, fortune until he came of age.  She was another watercolour artist and embroiderer.  Brought up in Italy she made many religious paintings as well as flower, landscape and humorous ones.  Founder member of Royal School of Needlework, promoting embroidery as employment for poor women.

Nina Cust 1867-1955 was the most intriguing.  Her story was that she was an intellect, writer and sculptor.  But she had a shotgun wedding to the philandering Harry Cust (info from the Belton tour). Research online indicates Harry fathered children (with bright blue eyes) with many women, but none with her!  One of his alleged children was with a maid at Belton, and this child is alleged to be Margaret Thatcher's mother. The alleged pregnancy of Nina Cust did not produce a child.  And Harry and Nina remained childless.  One of the interesting things here, is that NT literature talks freely about the shotgun wedding, where Harry was leant on by his cousin to marry Nina, but none of it refers to their childlessness.

Great day out.