Middletown transcript., 1881-05-20
NO. 81.
BRAVE LADY BLANCHE.

The death at Conway, N. H., on
March 22d of Lady Blanche Murphy,
recalls the strange and romatic story of
the life of this lady, who, while yet
young has been so suddenly. cut off.
She was the eldest daughter of the earl
of Gainsborough. Her mother, Lady
Augusta, eldest daughter of the earl of
Enroll, died before Lady Blanche was
twenty years of age. She has two
brothers, the Viscount Camden and
Lord Edward, one of whom is serving
in the British army in India. Her
youngest sister is the wife of Henry
Bellingham, NJ. P. The estate of the
earl of Gainsborough is in Rutlandshire,
England, where, at Exton hall, Lady
Blanche was born. Her girlhood was
devoted to travel and study. She spent
some time at school in Italy and France,
and learned to speak italian, French
German and Spanish. She was famil-
lar, too, with Latin, and had a fair
knowledge of Greek. The earl of Gains
borough, once a Protestant, became a
Roman Catholic, and, at his seat, Ex-
ton hall, he has private chapel, where
services are held each day. 1t was
nearly fifteen years ago a young Irish
man, ThOs T. Murphy, was engaged as
organist in this chapel Lady Blanche,
then about twenty-One years old, sang
in the services. The young organist
and Lady Blanche fell in love. In
March, 1870, solicitous friend of the
earl called his attention to the intimacy
which seemed to exist between Lady
Blanche and Thomas Murphy. The
earl would not listen. On the follow
ing night the couple left Exton hall
together, and sent back word from
London that they were married. This
was March 6, 1870. The earl was over
whelmed by this message, but anger
quickly followed upon his grief. He
disoWned and disinherited his daughter,
and forbade her ever to return to the
house which, he said, she had dishon-
Ored. The young couple found them
selves all but homeless in London with
out any means of support, as Murphy
could not find vacant organ seat.
Within one year they left England and
came to New York. Lady Blanche
was still proud and brave, but her il
res1lute and easily-diScouraged husband
had nothing to do and bread was scarce.
The Lady Blanche began to write mag
azine articles. She and her husband
had lodgings in Henry street, and the
brave little lady toiled with the means
at hand for their support.
At the time Father Hecker, the
Catholic priest, found her out, and was
the means Of helping Lady Blance to
wider market for her writings. Her
education had been generous and her
gift with pen was marked. She wrote
in selling all that she had to offer.
Father Hecker also found a place as
organist for Mr.. Murphy, in New Ro-
chelle. Lady Blanche wrote series of
articles for The Galaxy on English life
and English aristOcracy, which she dis
continued upon hearing that they had
some of the persons mentioned
in them. She became a frequent con-
to Scribner'S Monthly, The
Catholic Rerieu, The Catholic World,
and The Boston Pilot. Until her death
she did not cease her relations with The
Catholic World, and in the April num-
Der just published, she has paper on
"The Tomb of the Conquistador. In
the May number, now in press, is an
article on 1.-THE Greek Monasteries of
the Athos.'' When Lady Blanche had
been in New York about four years her
father relented toward her, and, though
she would not listen to his proposal that
she leave her husband and return to
Exton ball, he settled upon her an an
lUity of $50. She received this needed
aid with reluctance. Some years ago,
after several changes of residence,
Lady Blanche and her husband removed
70 North Conway, N. H., where they
both engaged to teach in the Kearsage
academy. At the time of her death
Lady Blanche was not much over 35
years of age. She had no children.