Social Victorians/People/Londonderry

The London School Board, Marquess of Londonderry, by "FTD," Vanity Fair 6 February 1896

Also Known As

• Family name: Vane-Tempest-Stewart; Stewart at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, then Vane and Vane-Tempest, then Vane-Tempest-Stewart
• Marquess of Londonderry (Ireland peerage)
  • George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry (25 November 1872 — 6 November 1884)
  • Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (6 November 1884 – 8 February 1915)
• Marchioness of Londonderry
  • Mary Cornelia Edwards Vane-Tempest (25 November 1872 – 19 September 1906)
  • Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd-Talbot Vane-Tempest-Stewart (6 November 1884 – )
• Viscount Castlereagh, courtesy title associated with the Earl of Londonderry, used by the heir apparent, in the Peerage of Ireland.
  • Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart (25 November 1872 – 6 November 1884)
  • Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart (6 November 1884 – 8 February 1915)
• Viscountess Castlereagh
  • Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd-Talbot Vane-Tempest-Stewart (2 October 1875 – 6 November 1884)
• Lord Stewart, courtesy title, used by the heir apparent to the heir apparent, if one exists
• "[B]etween 1872 and 1999, the Marquesses of Londonderry sat in the House of Lords as The Earl Vane" ("Marquess of Londonderry").

Timeline

1875 October 2, Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest and Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd-Talbot married.

1897 July 2, Friday, Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess and Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd-Talbot, Marchioness of Londonderry attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House, as did their son, Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, and their daughter, Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart. (The Marquess of Londonderry was #511 on the list of people who attended; the Marchioness of Londonderry was #42; Lord Castlereagh was #73; Lady Helen was #43.)

1899 November 28, Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart and Edith Helen Chaplin married.

1902 January 25, Giles Fox-Strangways and Lady Helen Vane-Tempest-Stewart married.

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

Theresa, Marchioness of Londonderry in costume as Maria Theresa. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Maria Thérèse, Holy Roman Empress, with her family, 1754, by Martin van Meytens

Theresa, Marchioness of Londonderry

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Theresa Chetwynd-Talbot Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry sat at Table 1 in the first seating for supper. She led the Austrian Court of Maria Theresa Quadrilles as Empress Maria Theresa, accompanied by the Marquis of Winchester and the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne.

Lafayette's portrait (right, above) of "Theresa Susey Helen (née Talbot), Marchioness of Londonderry as Maria Theresa" in costume is photogravure #106 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "The Marchioness of Londonderry as Maria Theresa," with a Long S in Marchioness.

The Lafayette Negative Archive has the image used in the commemorative album as well as two others. These images from the Lafayette Archive allow for closer inspection than images from the National Portrait Gallery because the resolution is higher.

1. The "original" of the image used in the album (Neg. No: GP (L) 1505): http://lafayette.org.uk/lon1505.html, except that the negative is cracked, so the image made from it has been photoshopped.
2. The Marchioness of Londonderry in costume, standing, facing left, with light hair (Neg. No: GP (L) 1506): http://lafayette.org.uk/lon1506.html.
3. The Marchioness of Londonderry in costume, standing, facing left, with dark hair (Neg. No: GP (L) 1506B): http://lafayette.org.uk/lon1506B.html.

The 1754 Martin Van Meytens painting of Marie-Theresa (right, below) is in the collection at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. The Marchioness of Londonderry (or whoever designed her dress) may have seen it there, but the differences between the dresses make it unlikely to be the source for Lady Londonderry's costume.

The Historical Maria Theresa

We do not know what sources, if any, were consulted by Theresa, Marchioness of Londonderry in preparing for personating Maria Theresa for the ball, except perhaps one or more portraits available, perhaps, at the South Kensington (now the V&A) Museum. We have not expectations that she would be constrained by what we might call historical accuracy. The newspapers called the Empress Maria Thérèse, using the French version of her name, but in the Authority Files her name is Maria Theresa or Maria Theresia.

The Encyclopædia Britannica offers a sense of what was generally available to those interested in that kind of research. Maria Theresa was born on 13 May 1717 and died 29 November 1780. The discussion of Maria Theresa that would have been available in 1897, in the 9th edition of the Britannica, is short, perhaps 1/3 or 1/4 of a column, though her reign is discussed in other articles as well.

She bore 16 children between 1737 and 1756, 11 of whom survived at least until they were 16 years old.

1. Joseph — Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam (1741–1790)
2. Maria Christina — Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen (1742–1798)
3. (the second) Maria Elisabeth — Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria (1743–1808)
4. Charles — Archduke Charles Joseph of Austria (1745–1761)
5. Maria Amalia — Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma (1746–1804)
6. Leopold — Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke Leopold II (1747–1792)
7. Maria Josepha — Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria (1751–1767)
8. (the third) Maria Carolina — Queen and Archduchess Maria Carolina (1752–1814)
9. Ferdinand — Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este (1754–1806)
10. Maria Antonia — Marie Antoinette (1755–1793)
11. Maximilian Francis — Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria (1756–1801)

The Entourage of Maria Thérèse

As Maria Theresa, the Marchioness of Londonderry was accompanied by perhaps 4 archduchesses and 3 archdukes, who were personating 7 or 8 of the Empress's 9 or 11 children who survived to adulthood. Not among the archduchesses are Countess Daisy Warwick personating Marie Antoinette, who had her own court, and Mrs. Evelyn Elizabeth Forbes James, who, as the Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, actually walked in the Maria Theresa procession but is not listed in Lady Londonderry's retinue. Two of those in the entourage were Lady Londonderry's own children, Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart and Charles, Viscount Castlereagh.

Taking out Countess Warwick as Marie Antoinette and Mrs. Evelyn James as the Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, Marie Theresa's archduchess and archduke children were the following:

1. Joseph — Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam (1741–1790) — personated by Lady Londonderry's son, Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
2. Maria Christina — Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen (1742–1798) — personated by Lady Londonderry's daughter, Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart
3. Charles — Archduke Charles Joseph of Austria (1745–1761) — personated as Charles William Reginald Duncombe, Viscount Helmsley
4. Maria Amalia — Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma (1746–1804)
5. Leopold — Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke Leopold II (1747–1792) — personated by Mr. Gathorne-Hardy
6. Maria Josepha — Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria (1751–1767)
7. (the third) Maria Carolina — Queen and Archduchess Maria Carolina (1752–1814) — personated by Lady Beatrice Butler
8. Ferdinand — Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este (1754–1806)
9. Maximilian Francis — Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria (1756–1801)

The newspaper reports do not agree on the number of archduchesses or archdukes who walked as the Maria Theresa's children. The sometimes 4 and occasionally 5 archduchesses went to the ball personating one of Marie Theresa daughters:

1. Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart, as Marie Christine (Lady Helen Stewart is treated later on this page)
2. Lady Beatrice Butler, as Marie-Karoline
3. Lady Alexandra Hamilton
4. Lady Beatrix Fitzmaurice
5. Miss Stirling, perhaps, or Miss Seymour, or perhaps neither

Not all accounts of the ball mention Miss Stirling: the Morning Post, for example, lists only 4 archduchesses; some reports, including the Times list Miss Stirling; the Belfast News-letter mentions Miss Seymour but not Miss Stirling. The fact that many of the newspapers agree with each other that Miss Stirling was part of this quadrille does not necessarily mean we should believe them: they are likely repeating each other.

Lady Mary Stewart was 20 years old, as were Lady Beatrix Petty-Fitzmaurice and Lady Beatrice Butler; Lady Alexandra Hamilton was 21 and Miss Stirling, if she was Evelyn Mary Caroline Lilah Stirling, was 19.

The archdukes were

1. Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, as the Emperor Joseph
2. Mr. Gathorne-Hardy, as Archduke Leopold
3. Charles William Reginald Duncombe, Viscount Helmsley, as Archduke Charles
4. Lord William Lurgan, as Duke Albert von Sachsen-Texhen or Sachsentexhen, not one of Maria Theresa's sons

Both the Morning Post and the Times reports suggest that in the quadrille for the Austrian court, 4 archduchesses danced with the men listed above in one 8-person group, even though Duke Albert von Sachsen-Texhen was not one of Marie Thérèse's sons but one of her cousins.

Newspaper Accounts of the Marchioness of Londonderry's Costume

Several of the newspaper reports say that Lady Londonderry's costume was based on a portrait at the South Kensington Museum, which now is called the Victoria and Albert Museum.

• She was dressed as "the Empress Marie Thérèse. Gown of rich cream satin, copied from a picture in South Kensington Museum, beautifully embroidered in shades of gold and pearls. Stomacher of diamonds with ropes of pearls festooned on each side and diamond brooches all along the top. Train of rich cream acanthus leaf brocade, fastened on the left shoulder with a huge diamond buckle caught at the waist with another. Necklace of pear-shaped pearls, with another diamond necklace above, and a crown studded with jewels."
• She "looked beautiful in white satin embroidered in three tones of yellow. The point of the bodice was outlined with some of the famous Londonderry diamonds, and the Marchioness wore a diamond crown on her powdered hair, surmounted by a large emerald cross. This queenly lady was surrounded by her Court, including four beautiful young Archduchesses in white and silver with pale blue ribbons, and wearing white plumes in their powdered hair."
• She was dressed as "Empress Maria Thérèse. Gown of rich cream satin, copied from a picture in South Kensington Museum, beautifully embroidered in shades of gold and pearls; stomacher of diamonds, with ropes of pearls festooned on each side and diamond brooches all along the top; train of rich cream acanthus leaf brocade, fastened on left shoulder with a huge diamond buckle, caught at the waist with another. Necklace of pear-shaped pearls, another diamond necklace above, and a crown studded with jewels."
• The Marchioness of Londonderry, "as the Empress Marie Therese, wore a gown of rich cream satin, copied from a picture in South Kensington Museum, beautifully embroidered in shades of gold and pearls, stomacher of diamonds with ropes of pearls festooned on each side, and diamond brooches all along the top; train of rich cream acanthus leaf brocade, fastened on left shoulder with a huge diamond buckle, caught at the waist with another; necklace of pear-shaped pearls, another diamond necklace above, and a crown studded with jewels."
• As "Marie Theresa, [she] was attired in a cream satin dress, covered with gorgeous embroidery of acanthus leaves and conventional flowers, wrought in shades of amber, silks, pearls, and gold thread. The stomacher was encrusted with superb diamonds and the white brocade train was fastened to one shoulder and at the waist by diamond brooches. The crown was surmounted by a large emerald cross."
• She was dressed as "the Empress Marie Thérèse in white satin, embroidered with gold and pearls, a stomacher of wonderful diamonds, and a mantle of white acanthus-leaf brocade, fastened on one shoulder and again at the waist with diamond ornaments."
• She, "as Marie Thérese, was in gold and white satin embroidered in tawny shades of silk, and wore a large diamond crown, with other ornaments."
• "Lady Londonderry, as the Empress Thèrése of Austria, was dressed in cream-coloured satin, and was attended by five Archduchesses and five Archdukes."
• "Marie Thérèse, Empress of Austria, was personated by the Marchioness of Londonderry, who looked the part to perfection, in a lovely white satin dress embroidered in three tones of yellow silk. She wore a crown made up of her own diamonds and held a golden sceptre. Her train was white satin lined with white."
• "The Austrian Court was a wonderful procession, headed by the Marchioness of Londonderry as the Empress Marie Thérèse. She wore the famous Londonderry diamonds, which included a diamond crown copied exactly from one worn by the Empress Marie Thérèse on her powdered hair."
• This description accompanies a flattering line drawing of the Marchioness of Londonderry in costume (Bottom right drawing, full front, crown with cross on top has emphasis, like necklace and earrings): "DRESS worn by the MARCHIONESS OF LONDONDERRY, as the Empress Marie Thérese, at the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy ball, on the 2^nd inst. — Gown of richest cream satin, copied from a picture In South Kensington Museum, beautifully embroidered in shades of gold and pearls. Stomacher of magnificent diamonds, with ropes of pearls festooned on each side. Train of rich cream acanthus leaf brocade, fastened on the left shoulder with a huge diamond buckle, and at the waist with another, and edged with thick silver cord. Necklace of pear-shaped pearls, with another diamond necklace above, and a diamond crown. This gown was made by Mme. Durrant, of 116, New Bond-street, W."

Lady Londonderry's costume garnered more discussion than mere repetition of the description:

• The Dundee Evening Telegraph, citing Drapery World, has part of this article from the London Daily News: "All the costumes worn in the Marchioness of Londonderry’s quadrille at the Duchess of Devonshire's grand ball were, by her Ladyship's special request, composed of materials of British or Irish manufacture. Lady Londonderry's own gown was embroidered at Lady Duncannon's Irish School of Art Needlework at Garryhill. A benevolent suggestion has been made by the kind hearted Marchioness to the effect that the ball should be repeated in some large public building for the benefit of some charity, admission and seats being charged for as at any other attractive spectacle. The scene would be a splendid one, and would actually be seen to better advantage in a very spacious hall than would be possible in any private mansion, however magnificent." (This article in the London Daily News about the Marchioness of Londonderry's use of local artisans to make all the materials for the costumes in the Marie Thérèse quadrille is repeated exactly a week later by the Peterhead Sentinel.)
• According to "Notes Mainly Personal" in the Dundee Evening Telegraph: "Society women are really becoming patriotic in the matter of their dress, says the Drapery World. We read with the utmost satisfaction that all the costumes worn in the Marchioness of Londonderry's quadrille at the Duchess of Devonshire's grand ball were, by her Ladyship's special request, composed of materials of British or Irish manufacture."
• Lady Londonderry's dress was made by Mme Durrant, and possibly the train fabric was used for a different dress later: "Lady Londonderry has, says the 'Queen,' been wearing some perfect gowns lately, made for her by Mme. Durrant. One of cream-coloured Renaissance brocade, which she had worn at the Devonshire House Fancy Ball, had such a decided pattern it looked as if it were velvet. Coming from the back of the bodice round to the front was a sash, half silk, half lace, of a deep tea tone, that matched the exact tint of the brocade, and on this wide and long sash were embroidered small silk flowers in the style of the early part of this century. The dress was simple and extremely stylish, and was cut in the Princesse form."

Commentary on Lady Londonderry's Costume

Although we do not know the year of her birth, Lady Londonderry was likely around 40–45 years old at the time of the ball. (Her husband was born in 1852, she married in 1875 and her first recorded child was born in 1876.) The van Meytens portrait of the family of Marie-Theresa (above) was made when the Holy Roman Empress was 38.

• The Photography
  • Author of the Lafayette Negative Archive, Russell Harris says that the negatives of the Lafayette portraits of the Marchioness of Londonderry were made on 27 July 1897, more than 3 weeks after the ball. He speculates that the setting may have been Lady Londonderry's London residence, Londonderry House, but the portrait that shows Lady Londerry standing, facing left, with dark hair (http://lafayette.org.uk/lon1506B.html), looks to have a scenery flat in the background. Perhaps one reason this portrait was not chosen for the album is that flat. Cropping out its edge, which can be seen near the left side of the image, would have meant cropping out too much of the train.
  • All 3 Lafayette photographs of Lady Londonderry appear to be taken in the same place. Were they all taken at the same time or did Lady Londonderry sit for Lafayette more than once?
  • Harris says that elements of the scepter and crown were "heavily retouched" by the studio.
• The Victorian Look
  • The Van Meytens portrait (above) is not the original for the Marchioness of Londonderry's costume, but it shows Marie Theresa at about the same age as Lady Londonderry and the costumes show some similarities. These Victorian costumes are never historically accurate to our eyes, and what makes them look Victorian is the line of the silhouette caused by the foundation undergarments as well as the many "elaborations", mostly in the decorations, trim and accessories.
  • The most "Victorian" element is the line of the bodice, which comes to a point below a well-defined waist, caused by the traditional corset a fashionable Victorian lady would wear.
  • The neckline of the Lady Londonderry's bodice follows the 18th lines, but the trim on the Victorian garment is a series of three-dimensional puffs, rather than flat.
  • The puffs and the ruffled edge of the possibly chiffon sleeves are fashionable for 1897.
  • The waistlines of the two garments in the two portraits are distinctly similar, coming to a point below the waist.
• The Gown and Train
  • The dress is made of a bodice, a skirt and a train.
  • The newspaper reports disagree about the color of Lady Londonderry's costume: some say cream, others say white.
  • The fabric of the bodice and skirt appears to be satin.
  • The brocade train has a braided cord at the edge, which shows at the bottom and the sides.
  • The train appears to be attached to the dress on the left shoulder and at the waist on the right side.
  • Length of train? longer than a marchioness's, one for a queen??
• The Trim
  • The embroidery on Lady Londonderry's gown comes to a point at the center of the bodice below the waist, meeting the point of the inverted V of the center front of the skirt. The pattern widens toward the bottom and tapers toward the side seams.
  • The embroidery is in sharp contrast to the fabric of the gown
  • more than one color, the colors contrast, the Times says "shades of gold," and the Daily News says "three tones of yellow." The Belfast News-letter says the dress is "covered with gorgeous embroidery of acanthus leaves and conventional flowers, wrought in shades of amber, silks, pearls, and gold thread."
  • The trim is 3-dimensional because the embroidery is encrusted with so many jewels.
  • Possibly the 1897 black-and-white photograph makes the embroidery darker and more contrasty than it would have looked in life or in a painted portrait.
• The Hair
  • Although the London Daily News says that her hair was powdered at the ball, Lady Londonderry's hair is not powdered in the 1897 Lafayette photograph in the album. This portrait does not have the same background and props as the ones taken at the ball, so it was likely taken in Lafayette's studio at a different time. Perhaps her hair was powdered at the ball and not for the portrait, or perhaps the reportage in the London Daily News was incorrect.
  • Her hair is lighter in one of the photographs. Was her hair powdered to make it lighter?
  • Several newspapers say that Lady Londonderry's hair was powdered.
• The Jewels and Jewelry
  • The Daily News says the crown was emeralds. It looks like diamonds in the Lafayette photographs.
  • According to Russell Harris, Geoffrey C. Munn quotes from Vanity Fair on 8 July 1897 to say

    Lady Londonderry had a real Imperial crown surmounted by an exquisite cross in magnificent brilliants: it was an exact copy of Maria Theresa's own crown, made from her own jewels, and several necklaces and bracelets had been broken up to make it. Then all her beautiful pearl necklaces were looped on the bodice of her dress with a magnificent rivière of huge single stones; in fact, her bodice was a blaze of brilliants, with diamond clasps holding the train on the shoulders and diamonds sewn even to the front of her skirt. All her jewels were diamonds and pearls, except one lovely ruby which blazed on her wrist.

    But Vanity Fair was not publishing in 1897, so this source looks contemporary with the ball but the journal name is likely a typo.

Charles, Marquess of Londonderry

Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the Marquess of Londonderry was also present and, according to the Morning Post, walked in the Austrian procession, behind his wife.

Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart

Lady Helen Stewart, as the Archduchess Marie Christine of Austria. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Lafayette's portrait of "Helen Mary Theresa (née Vane-Tempest-Stewart), Countess of Ilchester when Lady Helen Stewart as the Archduchess Marie Christine of Austria" in costume is photogravure #107 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Lady Helen Stewart as the Archduchess Marie Christine of Austria," with a Long S in Archduchess.

Lady Mary Stewart was one of the archduchesses — along with with 3 or 4 other young women — in the entourage of her mother, Lady Londonderry, who led the Austrian procession as Marie Theresa, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. These young women were present at the ball as the daughters of Marie Theresa, and the young men dressed as archdukes were present as her sons. Lady Mary Stewart went "as Archduchess Marie-Christine in the Archduchess Marie-Karoline and Emperor Joseph II section of the Austrian Court of Maria Theresa Quadrille." Lady Helen was 20 at the time of the ball.

The newspapers report that the archduchesses were all dressed alike:

• The four "Archduchesses in Waiting on Marie Thérèse" plus Miss Stirling "were dressed alike in stiff silver brocatelle, with deep-pointed bodices of silver tissue, veiled with white lisse and half hoops of old-fashioned blue satin riband; large flounces of white lisse, and quaint sleeves, with frills and bows of blue riband."
• The four "Archduchesses in Waiting on Marie Thérèse" plus Miss Stirling "were dressed alike in stiff silver brocatelle, with deep pointed bodices of silver tissue, veiled with white lisse and half-hoops of old-fashioned blue satin ribbon, large paniers of white lisse, and quaint sleeves with frills and bows of blue ribbon."
• The "five Arch-Duchesses" in attendance on Lady Londonderry including Miss Stirling were "dressed alike in gowns of white and silver, with bodices of silver gauze, trimmed with blue ribbon and masses of white chiffon."
• There were 4 archduchesses plus Miss Seymour: "Their dresses were particularly admired, and were of beautiful silver brocade, made with corsages of silver cloth under soft lisse, and with wide blue ribbons tied high at the side."
• "With Lady Londonderry came a court of pretty girls dressed in silvered white broché."
• "Lady Londonderry, as the Empress Thèrése of Austria, was dressed in cream-coloured satin, and was attended by five Archduchesses and five Archdukes. The former, all attired exactly alike in white and silver brocade," included Miss Stirling."
• Lady Londonderry's "daughter, Lady Helen Stewart, as Archduchess Marie Christine, and three other young girls of high birth, wore silver brocade with small paniers and pale blue ribbons round the neck and bodice."

Commentary on the Archduchesses' Costume

According to the newspaper accounts, all the archduchesses were dressed alike. Lady Londonderry was about 40 when the Lafayette portrait was taken, and a portrait of Marie Therese at 38 shows her with her children, so perhaps these costumes were designed to reflect not only Victorian standards of beauty but also the fashions of 1755–60 on the continent.

• This dress was designed to be flattering at the neckline and waistline, rather than historical. The fashion-forward "look" distinguishes the costume and its accessories from not only the mid 18th century but also the very prestigious but traditional haute couture made by the House of Worth.
• The newspapers say the archduchesses were all dressed identically, but Lady Helen's jewelry looks closely related to one of the necklaces worn by her mother. It would be nice to know if the other archduchesses wore an identical necklace.
• The Morning Post says the costume has "large paniers," but there's no panier structure at the hips. The dressmaker was very clever in using ruching to simulate the fullness at the hips that less-flattering paniers would have provided.
• Lady Helen appears to be wearing 2 beauty spots, imitations of the patches worn in the mid 18th century.
• Mme Durrant made the costume for Lady Helen's mother, and so perhaps that dressmaking concern also made the costumes for the archduchesses.

Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, in costume as Viscount Castlereagh, as the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Charles, Viscount Castlereagh

Their son, Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh attended as Maria Theresa's son Emperor Joseph II in the Austrian Court of Maria Theresa procession. He was 19 at the time of the ball.

Lafayette's portrait of "Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry when Viscount Castlereagh as the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria" in costume is photogravure #108 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Viscount Castlereagh as the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria" ("Viscount Castlereagh as the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria").

The Lafayette Negative Archive has 2 images of Lord Castlereagh in costume, all higher resolution than the image from the album offered by the National Portrait Gallery:

1. Lord Castlereagh, Neg. No: GP (L) 3135: http://lafayette.org.uk/cas3135.html (The image that is in the commemorative album)
2. Lord Castlereagh, Neg. No: GP (L) 3135A: http://lafayette.org.uk/cas3135a.html

The Lafayette Archive dates these images to 14 July 1897.

The Historical Archduke Joseph

Charles, Lord Castlereagh was 19 years old at the time of the ball. In the fiction of the Maria Theresa procession at the ball, Joseph would have been an archduke until he was 24, in 1765, when he became emperor at his mother's death.

The Encyclopædia Britannica offers a sense of what was generally available to those interested in that kind of research. The discussion of Emperor Joseph II that would have been available in 1897 is in the 9th edition of the Britannica. The first part of the article discusses the early part of his life, while he was still an archduke:

JOSEPH II. (1741–1790), Holy Roman emperor, born in Vienna March 13, 1741, was the son of the emperor Francis I. and Maria Theresa. He was made king of the Romans in 1764; and in 1765 he succeeded his father as Holy Roman emperor. Maria Theresa declared him co-regent of her hereditary states, but almost all real power she retained in her own hands. He received full authority only in the regulation of the military system, into which he introduced many changes, following in the main the example of Frederick the Great. Chiefiy by his advice Maria Theresa was induced to associate herself with Russia and Prussia in the partition of Poland; and in 1777 he persuaded her to force Turkey to surrender Bukowina. When the younger branch of the house of Wittelsbach died out in 1777, Joseph claimed a large part of its territory; but Frederick the Great resisted his pretensions, and in 1779, after a nominal war, the emperor accepted the treaty of Teschen, by which he obtained only a small concession. Before this time he had sought to prepare himself for his future duties by extensive travels in his own states and in foreign countries; and everywhere he had made a favourable impression by his genial courtesy, In 1769 he had visited Frederick the Great, for whom he had at that time a warm admiration; and in the following year Frederick returned the visit, going back to Prussia with the conviction that it would be necessary “to keep his eye on that [Col. 1c/2a] young man.” On the death of Maria Theresa in 1780, Joseph became sole ruler of the Austrian states.

Newspaper Descriptions of Lord Castlereagh's Costume

Star of the Order of the Spirit (or St. Esprit), dating from c. 1750, made of diamonds, rubies, gold and silver.

• "Lord Castlereagh, very appropriately, impersonated a son of Queen Marie Thérèse and looked very stately and imposing in his white brocaded silk embroidered with gold, and a Louis XV. wig."
• He was dressed as "The Emperor Joseph, in white satin and gold, with powdered hair, and wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece."
• "Viscount Castlereagh, impersonating the Emperor Joseph, was in white satin and gold, with powdered hair, and wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece."
• Lord Castlereagh wore "rich white brocade, embroidered with gold, white satin breeches, and white silk rolled stockings, powdered hair, and white satin hat."
• "Lord Castlereagh was one of the archdukes accompanying his mother [the Marchioness of Londonderry], and was in white and gold."
• "Lord Castlereagh looked very manly and handsome as a son of Marie Thérèse."
• "Lord Castlereagh very appropriately personated her son, and looked quite imposing in white brocaded silk, embroidered with gold. Archdukes were similarly dressed."

Commentary on Lord Castlereagh's Costume

• Lord Castlereagh's knee breeches and vest are satin; his coat is brocade possibly also made of satin.
• The wig is white but too shiny to be powdered.
• The cord on the coat looks like it has been attached with cross-stitching. The cord, tassels and button treatment would be heavy if they are in fact gold.
• The narrow sleeves of the coat are gathered at the armscye (the armhole of the coat), a Victorian rather than 18th-century element.
• On the vest the trim, which is probably also gold, includes embroidered leaves as well as beading at the edges and on the pocket flaps.
• His silk stockings are rolled above his knees, with the ends of breeches tucked under the roll. Together with the finely knitted silk, this roll helped keep his breeches and stockings from wrinkling. The garters are decorative. Clocking adds the arrow-shaped embroidery on the stockings.
• The buckles on the shoes were also likely gold.
• The stock of the neck treatment ends in a jabot of lace, which in the portrait is mostly behind the star of the Order of the Spirit.
• The sleeves of the shirt beneath the coat and vest end in lace gathered at the wrists.
• If he is wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece, it is high, on his cravat, near his neck. The large star on his chest represents the French Order of the Spirit or Ordre du Saint-Esprit. The star in this particular image (right) was given to Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma by Louis XV in c. 1750.)
• His hat appears to be a feathered tricorn, with braid at the edges of the brim.
• Lord Castlereagh is wearing at least one beauty patch on his left cheek, a popular fashion in the 18th century that got out of hand and became a fad.

Demographics

• Nationality: British

Residences

• Londonderry House, Park Lane London, W.

Family

• George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry (26 April 1821 — 6 November 1884)
• Mary Cornelia Edwards ( – 19 September 1906)

1. Lady Frances Cornelia Harriet Emily Vane-Tempest ( — 2 March 1872)
2. Lady Avarina Mary Vane-Tempest ( — 26 June 1873)
3. Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (16 July 1852 — 8 February 1915)
4. Lord Henry John Vane-Tempest (1 July 1854 — 28 January 1905)
5. Lord Sir Herbert Lionel Henry Vane-Tempest (6 July 1862 — 26 January 1921)
6. Lady Alexandrina Louise Maud Vane-Tempest (8 November 1863 — 31 July 1945)

• Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (16 July 1852 – 8 February 1915)
• Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd-Talbot ( – 16 March 1919)

1. Helen Mary Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart (8 September 1876 – 14 January 1956)
2. Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry (13 May 1878 – 11 February 1949)
3. Charles Stewart Reginald Vane-Tempest-Stewart (4 December 1879 – 9 October 1899)

• Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry (13 May 1878 – 11 February 1949)
• Fannie Ward (not married)

1. Dorothé Mabel Lewis (1900–1938)

• Edith Helen Chaplin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry (3 December 1878 – 23 April 1959)

1. Maureen Helen Vane-Tempest-Stewart (1900–1942)
2. Edward Charles Stewart Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry (1902–1955)
3. Margaret Frances Anne Vane-Tempest-Stewart (1910–1966)
4. Helen Maglona Vane-Tempest-Stewart (1911–1986)
5. Mairi Elizabeth Vane-Tempest-Stewart (1921–2009)