Catalogue description Cecily S Montagu (nee Stuart-Wortley) 1835-1915

Cecily Stuart-Wortley, the second daughter of Georgiana Lady Wharncliffe, was born in 1835. The younger sister of Mary Lady Drogheda she was a cousin of Harriet E Fortescue and corresponded with her from an early age. In 1865 she married John Scott-Montagu, who was created Lord Montagu of Beaulieu in 1885; their two children John and Rachel were born in 1866 and 1868 respectively.

Cecily had a very lively and enquiring mind; she comments in a letter to Harriet of 30 Mar 1851:

"I am reading a Rudimentary Treatise on the Steam Engine by Dr Lardness. It is very clearly written and I think everyone ought to know something about the Steam Engine in these days of steam marvels!"

Living near to each other at Shedfield and Beaulieu, the two families were in close contact for many years. There are a number of letters from Cecily to her cousin Harriet in the collection.