Social Victorians/People/Brett

Also Known As

• Family name: Brett
• Regy Brett
• Baron Esher
  • William Baliol Brett, 1st Baron Esher (24 July 1885 – 24 May 1899)
  • Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Baron Esher (24 May 1899 – 22 January 1930)
• Viscount Esher
  • William Baliol Brett, 1st Viscount Esher (11 November 1897 – 24 May 1899)
  • Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher (24 May 1899 – 22 January 1930)

Acquaintances, Friends and Enemies

• Reginald Baliol Brett was one of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales's closest friends and confidants.

Organizations

William Baliol Brett

• Master of the Rolls (1882–1897)

Reginald Baliol Brett

• Eton College, Windsor
• M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge
• Society of Apostles
• Member of Parliament, Liberal, for Falmouth and Penryn (1880–1885)

Timeline

1879 September 24, Reginald Baliol Brett and Eleanor Frances Weston Van de Weyer married.

1897, Reginald Brett was appointed Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.).

1897 July 2, Friday, Mr. and Mrs. Brett (Reginald Baliol and Eleanor Frances Brett) attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House.

1899 May 30, the socially important funeral of Viscount Esher, close associate of the Prince of Wales.

Hon. Reginald Brett in costume as a Frans Hals portrait of Willem van Heythuysen

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

Reginald Balioll Brett (at 603) and Eleanor Frances Brett (at 604) attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball.

Eleanor Frances Weston (née Van de Weyer), Viscountess Esher when Hon. Mrs Brett in costume as Manon Lescaut. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Lafayette's portrait of "Eleanor Frances Weston (née Van de Weyer), Viscountess Esher when Hon. Mrs Brett as Manon Lescaut" in costume is photogravure #178 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "The Hon. Mrs Brett as Manon Lescaut."

Puccini's Manon Lescaut had opened at Covent Garden on 14 May 1894, its premiere in the U.K., although of course Abbé Prévost's 1731 novel was popular, and two earlier operas had been written based on the book, one by Daniel Aubyn in 1856 and one by Jules Massenet in 1885.

According to Russell Harris, "perhaps not all the male guests were keen to be memorialised looking like a 'tomfool' – as the Hon Reginald Baliol Brett (later 2nd Viscount Esher) complained in his diary!" His photograph is included in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery, however, and both that as well as the description in the Gentlewoman make it clear that Reginald Brett was in costume:

• "Hon. M. Brett, C.B., black velvet costume from Vandyke picture."

Lafayette's portrait of "Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher as a gentleman of France" in costume is photogravure #179 in the album. The printing on the portrait says, "Hon. R. Brett, C.B. as a gentleman of France."

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Family

• William Baliol Brett, 1st Viscount Esher (13 August 1815 – 24 May 1899)
• Eugenie Mayer ( – 4 June 1904)

1. Hon. Violet (Eugenie Violet Adele) Brett ( – 13 March 1938)
2. Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher (30 June 1852 – 22 January 1930)
3. Eugene Leopold Selwyn Brett (3 March 1855 – 8 December 1882)

• Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher (30 June 1852 – 22 January 1930)
• Eleanor Frances Weston Van de Weyer ( – 7 February 1940)

1. Oliver Sylvain Baliol Brett, 3rd Viscount Esher (23 March 1881 – 8 October 1963)
2. Lt.-Col. Hon. Maurice Vyner Balliol Brett (24 April 1882 – 18 August 1934)
3. Hon. Dorothy Eugenie Brett (10 November 1883 – 27 August 1977)
4. Hon. Sylvia Leonora Brett (25 February 1885 – 1971)

Relatives

• Hon. Violet (Eugenie Violet Adele) Brett married William Humble Dudley Ward.