Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-09
Harriet Mellon

Elgnty years ago Harriet Mellon, q c0liic &C.
tress, was playing VOlante in The Honeymoon
at Drury Lane Theatre. To-day her grand.
daughter, Lady Burdett-Coutts, is one OF the
richest women In the world. But the money
came to her through the generosity Of the
former actress who inherited it from her first
husband, Mr.. Thomas CouttS, and who believed
that 1t should descend to his relations rather
than TO those Of her second husband, the Duke
OF st. Adams.
Harriet MELONS, father was certain Lieu
tenant Mellon. OF the Madras army. When
she was but an infant he Was suddenly called
TO India, whence he never returned Her mo-
ther afterwards married strCliiHg player
named Entwlsle, and the two used TO make
the provincial circuits from theatre to theatre
en- foot, carrying by turn little Harriet and a
large Cremona violin. Sheridan happened 70
see Harriet On the boards OF provincial
theatre after she had grown up. and believing
her to be possessed Of unusual merit, urged her
to come to London. That he was right In his
estimate of the young girls genius was thor
oughly demonstrated by her subsequent care 3r.
While On a professional visit to Cheltenham
Harriet was introduced TO the great banker,
tcnham waters for his health. On the evening
after the Introduction he sent her al order for
box and five guineas. These gutnea5 she
treasured to her dying day as lucky pieces.
Early In 1915 Old Mrs. COuttS, who had been
great invalid. died, and Mr.. Coutts at once mar
red Harriet Mellon. The bridegroom was
seventy years Old and the bride at least thirty
years his junior. Miss Mellon gave up the
stage when she married ani presided over
Mr. Coutt's dinner-table and dra4ing-room In
Stratton street. Few hostesSes, it is said eN-
celled her in the highest qualities OF taet
Kindness, forethought and courtesy, and when
she was presented at court by her own STEP
daughter, Lady Guildford, she was especially
noticed by the Prince Regent and the other
members OF the royal family. Mr.. CouttS
died in 1922. Mrs. Coutts had made many in
fuential friends during her husbands life, and
the most eminent persons were glad to par
take Of her hospitality. While on visit TO
Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford in 1926 she
came infatuated with her. Scott did his best
to expedite matters ''If the Duke marries
her, he wrote, "he insures an immense for
tune; and II she nlarrieS him. she has the first
rank. II he marries woman older than him.
self by twenty years. she marries a man
younger In Wit by twenty degrees" Upon her
marriage with the Duke many believed that
the former actress would make but an fndlf-
ferent Duchess. Such, however, proved not to
be the case. The coach OF his Grace OF st. AL
bans was In no way more dashing from the
wealth which she had brought into the house
OF Beauclerk, and her assumption OF the straw
berry leaves led to no alteration externally.
AT the Coronation Of William ", and Queen
Adelaide In 1881, her Grace was given a seat
with the other ladies OF ducal rank. she took
good care Ct her mother and wasted many
thousands OF pounds upon her thrlftleSs step
father. Besides Scott, the Duchess reckoned
among her friends Soutbey, Wordsworth,
Samuel Rogers and four royal Dukes were
known to have sat down at her table at Am
hlestde. The g., S00,008 left her by Mr.. CouJts
she regarded as trust and not as gift, and
decided long before her death not to hand IL
over to the Duke OF st. Adams and his rela-
tiVes the Beauclerks, but bequeathed it in
stead TO Miss Burdett, one OF the daughters OF
Mr.. Coutts youngest Child. On condition that
she would take the additional name OF the
great banker. The Duchess died on August
9th, 1887, and was buried at Redoourne Hail,
In Lincolnshire. the seat OF her second hus-
band. the Duke of ST. AInSnS.