Ada Byron Milbanke (1871 - 1917)

Born 26 Feb 1871 in Kensington, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 18 Jun 1917 at age 46 in Sunninghill, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Ada Byron Milbanke was born on 26 February 1871 at 7 Cranley Place, Brompton (in the West of London) to Ralph Gordon (King) Milbanke at the time Baron Wentworth and later the 2nd Earl of Lovelace, and his first wife Fannie Heriot. Her birth was registered in the Kensington registration district. ^{[1] [2]}

Her parents separated shortly after her birth, and Ada was raised by her aunt, Lady Anne Blunt. Her father accused her mother of adultery with Captain Jules Robert Bowen Buscalet and petitioned for divorce in 1872. Fanny gave birth to Ralph, Ada's brother in 1873 (the father's identity not proven) but he was registered as Baron Wentworth's child with the surname of Milbanke. ^[3]

Ada's mother died in July 1878 when Ada was only seven years old. ^[4] By this time, Ada's middle name was given as Mary rather than Byron as shown in her mother's death announcement "Her ladyship ... has left issue one daughter, the Hon. Ada Mary Milbanke." ^[5]

During the 1890 London season, the newspapers reported that Ada attended several society events in the company of her stepmother the Countess of Lovelace.
Ada was one of the eight bridesmaids at the wedding of her step-brother Major Atherton Edward Jenkins (son from her step-mother's first marriage) to Anna Cassel at St George Hanover Square, Middlesex on 8 April 1899. ^[6]

In 1902, the Tatler (the Society gossip magazine) described Ada as "pretty, a little proud, and somewhat infected with modern ideas which make heiresses suspicious of their admirers' sincerity." ^[7]

She inherited the title of the Barony of Wentworth of Nettlestead in her own right upon the death of her father in 1906, and became the 14th Baroness.

Ada did not marry, and died on 18 June 1917. Her will was proved at the Central Probate Court on 25 October 1917 with an estate worth over £21,000. ^[8]

The Barony of Wentworth passed to her aunt Anne Blunt.

Sources

1. ↑ Ada's Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office"
   GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 18 July 2023)
   Milbanke, Ada Byron (Mother's maiden name: Heriot).
   GRO Reference: 1871 Jul-Aug-Sep in Kensington Volume 01A Page 155.
2. ↑ Birth certificate transcription:
   Twenty sixth February 1871, 7 Cranley Place Name: Ada Byron Girl Father: Ralph Gordon Noel Milbanke Mother: Fannie Milbanke formerly Heriot Father's occupation: Lord Wentworth Informant: Wentworth, Father, 7 Cranley Place, Brompton Registered 11 August 1871
3. ↑ Ralph's Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office"
   GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 18 July 2023)
   Milbanke, Ralph Gordon Noel Byron (Mother's maiden name: Heriot).
   GRO Reference: 1873 Jan-Feb-Mar in Saint George Hanover Square Volume 01A Page 373.
4. ↑ Mother's Death Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office"
   GRO Online Indexes - Death (accessed 18 July 2023)
   Milbanke, Fannie (Age at death: 24).
   GRO Reference: 1878 Jul-Aug-Sep in Croydon Volume 02A Page 120.
5. ↑ Deaths of Note Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 18 July 1878, page 3 British Newspaper Archive on FindMyPast accessed 21 July 2023
   The death is announced at Norwood, on Saturday, of Lady Wentworth, wife of Lord Wentworth, eldest son of the Earl of Lovelace, and grandson of Lord Byron, the poet. Her Ladyship was the third daughter of the Rev. J. Heriot, of Fellow Hills, Berwickshire, and has left issue one daughter, the Hon. Ada Mary Milbanke."
6. ↑ Stepbrother's wedding London Day by Day Daily Telegraph & Courier (London) 10 April 1899, page 9 British Newspaper Archive on FindMyPast accessed 21 July 2023
7. ↑ The Tatler - Society Gossip section 15 October 1902 page 22
   British Newspaper Archive on FindMyPast subscription required, accessed 21 July 2023
   Heiress to a Barony. - Lady Ada Milbanke is the only daughter and heiress of the Earl of Lovelace and she is actually heiress-presumptive to his barony of Wentworth, which being of old creation descends to daughters in preference to nephews. She derives her name of Ada from her famous grandmother, who was the only daughter of Lord Byron, the celebrated poet. Lady Ada Milbanke is pretty, a little proud, and somewhat infected with modern ideas which make heiresses suspicious of their admirers' sincerity. She is fond of flowers, animals, and the country. Her honours have come to her by an accident, for her father was a second son. His elder brother died prematurely.
8. ↑ Probate: "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995"
   Original data: Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1904 #3481614 (accessed 21 July 2023)
   Ada Mary Wentworth probate on 25 Oct 1917 in London, England. Died 18 Jun 1917 in Berkshire, England.
   Baroness WENTWORTH the right honourable Ada Mary of White Heather Sunninghill Berkshire spinster died 18 June 1917 Probate London 25 October [1917] to Felix Cassel K.C. M.P. and sir Robert Molesworth Kindersley K.B.E. Effects £21327 13 S 5d

• Ada King-Milbanke at Wikipedia
• Ada Mary Milbanke, 14th Baroness Wentworth (1871-1917), "Photographs Collection", digital images, npg.org (https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw147804/Ada-Mary-Milbanke-14th-Baroness-Wentworth-Fannie-ne-Heriot-Lady-Wentworth : 4 Feb 2023), albumen carte-de-visite, 1871; W. & D. Downey, "Ada Mary Milbanke, 14th Baroness Wentworth; Fannie (née Heriot), Lady Wentworth", National Portrait Gallery, London; citing Victoria & Albert Museum, 1980.