The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-30
A SPORTING DUCHESS
An Interesting Sketch Of q Pictur.
esque English Woman.
uhs Managed Her own Horses In Person.
Wore Masculine Apparel and Handled
tho English Language with
Fluent Rechlessness-

Caroline, dowager duchess Of Mont
rose, who died recently at the age "a
eighty, was q fine example Of that 60.
centricity which only a woman Of rank
can permit herselfwithout being called
vulgar, says the New York World.
Her conduct was far removed from
what would be considered proper In
polite American society.
The duchess managed one Of the
largest racing stables ID England with
much success Her language on the
race-course was marked by 3 vigor and
wealth Of profanity which were not
surpassed by many racing men.
Although horse-racing was her chief
interest, It did not occupy her undivid-
ed attention She had engaged err
tensively In matrimory, having mar.
ried three husbands Thisrecord would
not, of course, be remarkable, but the
duchess has had no divorces Her first
two husbands died and the last Is now
O widower.
During the latter part Of her racing
career her horses ran under the name
Of Mr.. Manton. For three years they
were In the name Of her last husband
young Henry Miner, but she quarreled
with him and Mr., Mantons name reap
peared Recently she had the horses
In the Newmarket races
"Mr. Manton" has been o familiar
figure In the paddock at every great
English race meeting. Next to that Of
the venerable Sir John Ashley, Il wa
probably the best known.
The duchess was tall and straight
and heavily built. In her youth she
had been rather good looking, woman
of q high-bred English type. But when
her youthful charms passed away she
made unfortunate attempts to replace
them. Her harsh and heavily lined
face was painted and her hair was Of q
golden hue produced by chemical
agents.
On the race-course she wore tailor
made clothes Of q very horsey cut, In
Guiding check-gowns, covert coats,
white crayats with horseshoe pins and
felt hats. At the theaters and social
functions she did not scruple 70 appear
In very lowcut evening dress This.
as Mr.. Bill Nye has noted, Is quite .
well established custom among the an
tique Engligh ladies'
The duchesswa originally Hon. Car
oline Agnes Beresford, daughter of the
second Lord Decies, and q relative Of
the gallant naval officer, Lord Charles
Beresford and Of Lord William Bercs-
ford, whose engagement 10 the Amer.
lean duchess Of Marlborough Is report
ed The second Lord Dccies was born
IL ITS, and his daughter Caroline made
her first appearance somewhere about
1914.
In 1880 she married james Graham,
fourth duke Of Montrose, who was
also marquis Of Montrose, marquis Of
Graham and buchanan, earl Of Mont
rose, earl Of Kircardine, viscount DUN
DAT, Lord Graham, Aberuthyen, Mug
dock and Fintrle, In Scotland; Earl
and Baron Graham, IN England. etc.
The duke was the head Of one of the
most historic families In the United
Kingdom, his ancestor having been
the great marquis Of Montrose,
who maintained Charles Is cause 10
successfully, In Scotland, that, but for
the surprise az Phillipsbaugh, the com.
monwealth might never have been e.
tablished.
The duchess third and eldest surviv.
ing son is now duke. He e forty-four
years Of ago
The late duke was horse owner and
o sportsman, and bis wife associated
herself enthusiastically IN his pursuits
When 10 died she consolcd herself By
marrying. IN 1860, Mr.. w. s. Stirling.
Crawfurd, who WIS even more Of q
racing man than the duke. He won
the Derby with Seton, In ls7A For
seventeen years they led q happy and
active sporting career.
Then Mr. Crawford died snd his ste
bic passed entirely under bis widows
management Mr.. Manton now cane
Into existence and became famous
She was In the habit Of bidding far
yearlings In public, and Of supcrintend-
Ing the stables personally, abusing the
men In the strongest sort Of language
when they did not do their work prop
erly. She had also more than one pub
| Ito dispute with racing men, IN which
her oxplative force was exhibited.
among o,acrA, with Robert shcrrard.
/ the weii-known trniner and owner on
Newmarket heath.
The dnchess furnished material for q
comic opera entitled 'srhe Merry
Iluohsss,s which was produced hard
SONS ten years ago
In 1883, the lamcnted Mr.. Crawfurs]
having been dead for Eve years. she
married her third husband, Marcus
Henry Miner, man now thirty yearz
Of aga Tho duchess II win DO per
scfxod. yvas ola enouQh 70 b his Qnzn6