Social Victorians/People/Dunville

Also Known As

• Family name: Dunville

Overview

• “He was heavily involved in sport as an enthusiastic cross-country rider and a skillful polo player. While studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, he was master of the Cambridge staghounds (1886–7), and he was later master of the Meath hounds between 1911 and 1915. On leaving college in 1890, graduating with an MA, he was appointed private secretary to the marquess of Hartington (qv) (from 1891 duke of Devonshire) …. Dunville held this position until the death of the marquess in 1908.”
• ”While working in politics he also retained control of the family business as chairman of Dunville & Co. Ltd.” His father Robert Grimshaw Dunville was “a noted Belfast distiller.”
• “Dunville became very much interested and involved in ballooning in the early years of the century, despite the fact that his first flight in 1906 ended with his landing in a tree. He became prominent as a daring aeronaut, setting many records.”
• John Dunville and Violet Anne Lambart Dunville’s “family lived at 46 Portland Place, London, attended by twelve servants: a butler, two footmen, a lady’s maid, a cook, two nurses, two housemaids, two kitchen maids, and a hall boy.”
• “He helped establish the reserve squadron of the RAF in Belfast. A deputy lieutenant of Co. Down, he was also commandant of the special constabulary force in Belfast during the 1919–21 troubles.”

Acquaintances, Friends and Enemies

Friends

• Or, at least, employer: Spencer Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire

Organizations

• Mr. Dunville is identified as the personal secretary of Spencer Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire on 3 January 1898.

Timeline

1892 January 7, John Dunville Dunville and Violet Anne Blanche Lambart married.

1897 July 2, Friday, Lt.-Col. John and Violet Dunville attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House. (John Dunville is #649 on the list of people who were present; Violet Dunville is #650.)

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

Violet Dunville and John Dunville attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball.

Violet Dunville

Violet Dunville as Edith Plantaganet. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Elliott & Fry's portrait (left) of "Violet Anne Blanche Dunville (née Lambart) as Edith Plantaganet" in costume is photogravure #120 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Mrs. Dunville as Edith Plantaganet."

Newspaper Accounts

• Violet Dunville's Edith Plantagenet costume: "apple green and gold brocaded loose gown, embroidered gold and pink jewels; jewelled girdle; corded silk cloak, embroidered."
• "MRS DUNVILLE, as Edith Plantagenet, wore a loose robe of apple green and gold brocade, embroidered in gold, pink, and jewels; a jewelled girdle, and embroidered corded silk cloak, with long hanging sleeves; her hair was dressed in two long plaits, threaded with pearls, and she wore a jewelled crown, with long white silk chiffon veil."

John Dunville as the Emperor Yuan of China. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

John Dunville

Elliott & Fry's portrait (right) of "John Dunville as the Emperor Yuan of China" in costume is photogravure #121 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Mr. Dunville as the Emperor Yuan of China."

John Dunville appears to be in racist yellow face in this portrait.

Yuan is a district and a river in China as well as a dynasty. The Yuan dynasty lasted from Genghis Khan (reigned 1206–1227) to Toghon Temür (reigned 1333–1368). It is impossible to know if John Dunville was referred to any particular person with his costume.

Demographics

• Nationality: John Dunville Dunville, Northern Ireland
• Residences
  • 46 Portland Place, London
  • Down, Ireland
  • Meath, Ireland

Family

• Lt.-Col. John Dunville Dunville (20 October 1866 – 10 June 1929)
• Violet Anne Blanche Lambart (14 August 1861 – 7 March 1940)

1. Robert Lambart Dunville (18 February 1893 – )
2. 2nd Lt. John Spencer Dunville, V.C. (7 May 1896 – 26 June 1917)
3. William Gustavus Dunville (13 June 1900 – )
4. Una Dunville (22 February 1903 – )

Relations

• Violet Lambart Dunville was the 7th child and 5th daughter of Lady Frances Conyngham, daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness Conyngham. Her father was Irish, “Gustavus William Lambart, DL, of Beau PAC, Co. Meath.”

Biographical Materials

1. The Irish Archives Resource does not appear to link to any materials under the name Dunville. He was married to a daughter of the Marquess of Conyngham, who also does not appear to have any archives listed at the Irish Archives Resources. He does have an entry in the Dictionary of Irish Biography.

Notes and Questions

1. John Dunville Dunville was the personal secretary of Spencer Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire.