Social Victorians/People/Antrim

Also Known As

• Family name: McDonnell
• Mr. Schomberg M'Donnell
• Mr. M'Donnel
• Earl of Antrim
  • Captain Mark McDonnell, 5th Earl of Antrim (19 July 1855 – 19 December 1869)
  • (19 December 1869 – )

Organizations

Schomberg McDonnell

• Eton
• Oxford
• Freemasons
• British Army
• Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Earl Salisbury (1888 – 1902)
• Secretary to the Office of Works (1902–1912), which brought him into contact with the royal family

Timeline

1897 July 2, Friday, Schomberg McDonnell (Mr. Schomberg M'Donnell) attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House, as did, apparently, his brother Alexander McDonnell.

1913 February 27, Schomberg McDonnell and Ethel Henry Davis Harrison married.

Costume at the Duchess of Devonshire's 2 July 1897 Fancy-dress Ball

Archduke_Ferdinand_of_Austria-Este

Schomberg McDonnell

Sir Schomberg Kerr McDonnell in costume as Duke Ferdinand of Modena. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Schomberg McDonnell (at 104) was dressed as Duke Ferdinand of Modena:

• He was wearing a "Uniform of the period of Marie Thérèse, white cloth, trimmed with gold."
• Mr. M'Donnel [sic] was dressed as Duke Ferdinand of Modena in the Austrian Court of Maria Theresa Quadrille.
• "Mr. Schomberg Macdonnell (period of Marie Thérèse), white cloth uniform trimmed with gold."

Alexander Bassano's portrait of "Sir Schomberg Kerr McDonnell as Duke Ferdinand of Modena" in costume is photogravure #69 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "The Hon. Schomberg McDonnell as Duke Ferdinand of Modena."

Perhaps by Duke Ferdinand of Moderna, Schomberg McDonnell meant Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este (1 June 1754 – 24 December 1806), son of Marie-Thérèse. He did not reign as Duke of Moderna, although he had been designated as the Duke, because Napoleon Bonaparte occupied and renamed what had been (and would go back to being) Moderna.

The portrait of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este (right) is undated, but it seems to be from later in his life.

Hon. Alexander McDonnell in costume as Mercutio. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Hon. Alexander McDonnell

Hon. Alexander McDonnell (at 676) also attended.

Lafayette's portrait of "Hon. Alexander McDonnell as Mercutio" in costume is photogravure #192 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "The Hon. A. McDonnell as Mercutio."

The Gentlewoman describes the costume of "Mr. A. Macdonald" as

• "(Romeo), white satin tunic elaborately embroidered in gold and turquoise; turquoise velvet cloak lined with grey."

The costume in the photograph taken by Lafayette for the Album aligns with the description from the Gentlewoman, given that we can't tell what color the cloak and its lining are. Similarly, this conflation of Romeo and Mercutio seems like a very small mistake in one of these newspaper accounts. For now, then, I'm guessing that this description should be applied to Alexander McDonnell rather than Mcdonald.

A character from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a friend of Romeo, Mercutio talks Romeo into attending the Capulet's masquerade ball, which is where he meets Juliet. Mercutio dies in a duel Romeo will not take up, saying the famous line "A plague o' both your houses!"

Henry Irving's Lyceum Theatre seems to have run performances of Romeo and Juliet in the 1890s, starring Mrs. Patrick Campbell as Juliet and Johnston Forbes-Robertson taking over as Romeo, for s more realistic, less pictorial interpretation. In these performances in fall 1895, Mercutio was played by Charles Francis Coghlan (11 June 1842 – 27 November 1899).

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Family

• Captain Mark McDonnell, 5th Earl of Antrim (3 April 1814 – 19 December 1869)
• Jane Emma Hannah Macan (c. 1825 – 21 April 1892)

1. William Randal McDonnell, 6th Earl of Antrim (8 January 1851 – 19 July 1918)
2. Hon. Mark Henry Horace McDonnell (18 August 1852 – 23 April 1909)
3. Lady Caroline Elizabeth McDonnell (c 1854 – 23 February 1930)
4. Hon. Hugh Seymour McDonnell (18 July 1855 – 24 October 1879)
5. Hon. Alexander McDonnell (23 June 1857 – 9 December 1945)
6. Lady Mabel Harriet McDonnell (1858 – 31 December 1942)
7. Lady Evelyn McDonnell (1860 – 1 June 1947)
8. Major Hon. Sir Schomberg Kerr McDonnell (22 March 1861 – 23 November 1915)
9. Lady Jane Grey McDonnell (15 June 1863 – 27 August 1953)
10. Lady Helena McDonnell (1865 – 11 January 1948)

• Schomberg Kerr McDonnell (22 March 1861 – 23 November 1915)
• Ethel Henry Davis Harrison McDonnell ( – 14 April 1916)

Notes and Questions

1. Schomberg Kerr McDonnell was the 5th son and 8th child of Mark McDonnell, the 5th Earl of Antrim; his eldest brother was William Randal McDonnell, 6th Earl of Antrim.
2. Mr. A. McDonald: No other mention of a Mr. A. McDonald (by any spelling) attending this party exists, which is suggestive rather than conclusive.