Lucy Noël Martha Countess of Rothes

[Mary S. Lynn]

I suppose this means that, although I have a grandfather, uncle, brother, cousin, and daughter named "Leslie", documented geneology back to about 1480, and tax-free millions to spend, my quest for a title is futile. TRH Mary sounds so much better than "Hey, lady". Sigh.

 

[Sally Sorour]

Since the Countess of Rothes was a heroine in life boat # 8, did she have any experience in working with boats prior to being on the titanic? Was the titanic her first experience working with boats?

 

[Bob Godfrey]

From an interview in the New York Herald, April 22, 1912:

"We were lowered quietly to the water, and when we had pushed off from the Titanic's side I asked the seaman if he would care to have me take the tiller, as I knew something about boats. He said, 'Certainly, lady".

 

[Shane Kurup]

Does anyone notice a few mistakes on this page?!

Countess of Rothes

Wasn't her Birthday 25th of December?

Shane

 

[Andrew Neel]

Hi, I need info on The countess

 

[Kyrila Scully]

Andrew, did you try using the resources on this website to find anything yet? That's generally the first place to look. After that, you could maybe ask specific questions, but do your homework first.

Kyrila

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Andrew, you can find what ET has on the Countess of Rothes HERE and HERE.

One thing I'm a little curious about is whether or not she even had any children. If not, who was the title passed onto if anybody?

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

I'm not an expert on the Countess of Rothes but I have some basic information about her family, much of this from Burke's Peerage. Craig Stringer and others who have made a more in depth study of the Countess will know more.

For those who don't want to read through the lineage below, suffice to say Lady Rothes' grandson is today the 21st Earl.

Lucy Noel "Noelle" Dyer Edwardes married Norman Evelyn Leslie, 19th Earl of Rothes, in 1900. They had two sons, Malcolm (b. 1902) and John (b. 1909). Lord Rothes, who served in WWI as Colonel of the Highland Cycle and was wounded in combat, suffered with his injuries until his death in 1927, at which time his title passed to his eldest son, Malcolm.

Noelle then married Col. Claude MacFie of the Seaforth Highlanders but did not relinquish use of her title, being referred to as the Dowager Countess of Rothes. She died in 1956.

Her son Malcolm, 20th Earl of Rothes, married Beryl Dugdale. They had a son and two daughters. He served in the House of Lords until 1959. The Rothes Chair in Public Health Opthalmology was established in his name after he passed away in 1975.

His son, Ian, succeeded his father as 21st Earl of Rothes at his death. Ian, born in 1932, is the current Lord Rothes. In 1955 he married Marigold Bevan, the present Lady Rothes. They have two sons. Lord Rothes, as a hereditary peer, was entitled to attend the House of Lords until the abolition of hereditary rights in 1999. In 1978 he organized the Clan Leslie Society, appointing U.S. diplomat the Hon. Alexander Leslie Klieforth as his American commissioner. The first U.S. branch of this group was ratified in Charleston, SC in 1980. Gatherings are held biennially.

For more information log onto www.clanlesliesociety.org.

This is the present Earl of Rothes, Ian Leslie, as he appeared in a 1951 portrait by Edward Seago.

COURTESY: Clan Leslie Society International

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

Also, as I recall, the name is pronounced "Rothez," not "Roths" as is commonly thought. I talked with Ben Holme about this at the BTS convention last year and he said he also believed the correct pronunciation is "Rothez."

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Thanks for that information, Randy.

 

[monica e. hall]

Randy,
just to muddy the waters here and make everything more complex, almost inevitable in matters aristocratic - I wonder if the Scottish Leslies' are related to the Irish ones (Anita Leslie whose book 'Edwardians in Love' I mentioned to you recently). My guess is, probably, at some point, as the Scots were great colonisers of Ireland. If so, I think there is a US connection with the Jerome sisters, Churchill etc.

 

[Adam Odle]

I just came across this painting of the Countess. No date on it, not sure if it's been posted here b4 or not. Also i was wondering if anyone knew where she was buried at and if there are any pictures of her grave site. Thank You!

 

[Brian J. Ticehurst]

Adam
I have the following:
Born 25th December 1884 and died on 12th September 1956 and has a memorial in St. Mary's Church, Fairford, Gloucestershire.
Also there is a memorial to her in Prinknash Abbey, Cranham, Gloucester, GL4 8EX.
The memorial reads:
Noelle Widow of the 19th Earl of Rothes and beloved wife of Col. Claude Macfie DSO of Fayre Court, Fairford - at rest 12 Sept. 1956.
Holiness is an infinite compassion for others - Greatness is to take the common things of life and walk truly among them - Happiness is a great love and much serving.

Regards - Brian

 

[Jeffrey M. Kern]

I have always had a problem believing the information concerning Mrs. Macfie printed on her death certificate of 1956, stating that she died at age 77, indicating she was born in 1879 or thereabout. However, the plaque seems to read 1884; the present Earl of Rothes maintains that his grandmother was born in 1884; and even a newspaper article from early 1900 written by a journalist who was present at Noël Dyer-Edwardes' wedding to Norman Evelyn Leslie, 19th Earl of Rothes, said: "[Miss Dyer-Edwardes] is quite young - only about nineteen, I believe." (Of course the journalist only estimated her age, but she always described her as being girlish.)

It would therefore seem highly likely that the death certificate for the late Mrs. Claud Macfie contained certain errors. I am not positive, but I believe she is buried there at St. Mary's in Fayre Court, Fairford.

Adam,

The portrait you have posted is dated 1923, and can be found at the Clan Leslie Charitable Trust (www.clanleslietrust.org/)

 

[Jeffrey M. Kern]

I would also like to add another note in addition to my July 5 post:

As regards to the plaque in memory of Mrs. Macfie, I should also mention that it seems to have been placed after the death of her husband, Colonel Macfie, who died on December 23, 1963 (as it is printed underneath the very kind words concerning this wonderful lady). I think whoever had that plaque placed there (and I doubt it was Claud Macfie himself) must have misprinted the Countess' name as "Noëlle" when indeed it was actually Noël Lucy Martha (somewhere mixed as Lucy Noël Martha). In her letters to her mother, Miss Gladys Cherry called her cousin-in-law "Noël." The present Earl of Rothes also calls his grandmother "Noël Lucy Martha." And a further source, the Clan Leslie Charitable Trust Organisation (www.clanleslietrust.org/) also calls her "Noël Dyer-Edwardes." From all accounts, I am inclined to believe there were a few errors made in Mrs. Macfie's death certificate.