The Chaotic Funeral of Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland in 1776

In the winter of 1776 the national press reported the death of Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, at the age of sixty. The daughter of Algernon Seymour and his wife Francis Thynne, she was a descendant of the famous Seymours of Tudor history, including Edward Seymour Lord Protector of England. Elizabeth was important during her own time too, as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Caroline (Queen of George III) and a well-known philanthropist of the Georgian era.

The Annual Register of that year reported that Elizabeth's death was a 'public loss which will be long lamented'. She died at her home at Northumberland House in The Strand in London on her sixtieth birthday, 5 December, sometime between 9pm and 10pm. 

Richard Houston, ca. 1721–1775, Elizabeth Countess of Northumberland, Baroness Percy, Lucy, Poynings, Fitzpain, Bryan, and Latimer, 1759, Mezzotint, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1977.14.12909. Public Doman.

The Annual Register continued to mark the duchess, who, with her 'most princely fortune, devolved to her from her ancestors, sustained her exalted rank through her whole life with the greatest dignity, generosity and spirit'. She was known for giving funds to help the poor and encouraged the growth and spread of literature and the arts. She also had a 'warm attachment to her friends... goodness to her servants' and a 'tender affection for her family'. 

Unsurprisingly then, many Londoners turned up to pay their respects at the duchess' funeral which took place at Westminster Abbey on 18 December 1776. Before she died Elizabeth had requested a small and private service, but as crowds gathered, so many hovered around the entrance of the abbey that those carrying the coffin found it difficult to enter the abbey's west door, as well as get to St Nicholas' Chapel, where she was to be buried. Men and boys climbed up onto the fabric of St Edmund's Chapel to see the coffin pass, but no sooner had it been carried alongside them, the 500-year old stonework failed and men, boys, stone, oak, brick and iron came tumbling down with centuries of dust, onto the floor. 

The scene was described as one of 'confusion and uproar', with some having broken arms and legs and others 'most terribly hurt'. The coffin was left in St Edmund's Chapel while the dean of the abbey and his attendants checked on those involved in the accident. Eventually, as the chaos subsided, the crowds began to disperse, believing that there was no more ceremony to be seen and that the duchess would be interred quietly later on. With some order restored (and presumably pushing a fair bit of rubble and broken ironwork away) Elizabeth was buried in a service that began between 1pm-2pm, around two and a half hours after the coffin had been brought into the abbey. It was said that even then, the odd cry of 'murder' echoed throughout the ancient walls during the service from some of the injured that remained. 

Elizabeth's husband Hugh Percy, Duke of Northumberland, enquired as to whether anyone in the accident had been hurt and offered to provide some compensation, but this was not taken up by anyone. He gave £600 to be given away in charity and to the poor of Westminster in his wife's name and a monument was erected in the abbey in her memory. Made from white marble, it was designed by Robert Adams and sculpted by Nicholas Read and includes statues of Faith and Hope, the duchess seated on a couch distributing alms to the poor. It was also marked by statues of a lion and unicorn and a pyramid behind. The following inscription was added: 

Near this place lies interred Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, in her own right Baroness Percy, Lucy, Poynings, Fitzpayne, Bryan, and Latimer; sole heiress of Algernon, Duke of Somerset, and of the ancient Earls of Northumberland, She inherited all their great and noble qualities, with every amiable and benevolent virtue. By her Marriage with Hugh Duke of Northumberland, She had issue Hugh Earl Percy, Lady F. Eliz. Percy, who died in 1761, and Lord Algernon Percy. Having lived long an Ornament of Courts, an Honour to her Country, a Pattern to the Great, a Protectress of the Poor, ever distinguished for the most tender Affection for her Family and Friends, She died December 5th, 1776, aged Sixty; Universally beloved, revered, lamented.

Liked this? You might also like my other posts on the Wilders of Berkshire,  George III's Daughters and George II's Huge Fireworks Party of 1749.

You can hear me talking to BBC Radio Berkshire about the Georgian structure Wilder's Folly and the history behind it here. 

Sources:

Annual Register, 1776 via archive.org

Brayley, EW. The History and Antiquities of the Abbey Church of St Peter Westminster. London. 1823