Social Victorians/People/Paget Family

Also Known As

• Family name: Paget
• Sir Arthur Fitzroy and Mrs. Minnie (Mary Stevens) Paget
  • Mr. Fitzroy (nom de plume)
  • General Rt. Hon. Sir Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget
• Almeric Paget
• Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Paget
• Mr. and Mrs. George Ernest Paget
  • and Miss Hylda Paget
• Mr. Gerald and Mrs. Lucy Paget

Overview

Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget

• “Possessed of considerable wealth, Paget won renown less as a soldier than as a bon vivant; his close friendship from boyhood with the prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) — the two were regular social companions — was an incalculable asset throughout his career. Pompous and verbose in speech, headstrong when aroused, though gallant in the field, Paget was neither cool nor clear-headed; intellectually shallow, he boasted to have ‘lived history rather than read it’ (Times obit.).”
• ”After retiring in 1918 he spent most of his time in Cannes, prominent in yachting circles on the Riviera. His other recreations included racing, hunting, fishing, and golf; an avid gardener, he had a white amateur knowledge of botany.”
• ”Paget died in Cannes on 9 December 1928, leaving an unsettled estate of £22,708.”

Minnie Paget

• “… of New York, USA; strong-minded and vivacious, she became a prominent London hostess” after her wedding to Arthur Paget.

Almeric Fitzroy

• The subsequent son of a subsequent son, the 7th son of a landed general, Almeric Fitzroy was a civil servant. David Cannadine describes him as an example of "landed-establishment life" and one of the "genteel mandarins":

  He was a great grandson of the third Duke of Grafton, and his mother was a daughter of Lord Feversham. He began his official life as an Inspector of Schools in the Education Department of the Privy Council. The appointment was arranged by family influence, and it gave Fitzroy time to hunt three days in every fortnight.... In 1884, Lord Carlingford transferred him to the Privy Council Office itself; in 1895 the Duke of Devonshire (who had just become Lord President) made him his private secretary; and three years later, the combination of family influence and the Duke's patronage brought him the Clerkship of the Privy Council, which he held until his retirement in 1923. Throughout this period, he was on the closest terms with the leading politicians of the day, he moved easily in royal and patrician society, he was a well-known figure in the clubs of London, and he spent many a weekend at Chatsworth, Lissadell, Osterley, Longleat, and Euston.

• Also, according to Cannadine, "Almeric Fitzroy wrote books about his ancestors, and was a trustee of the Duke of Grafton's settlement."

Timeline

1877 January 2, Gerald Cecil Stewart Paget and Lucy Annie Emily Gardner married.

1878 July 27, Mary Stevens and Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget married.

1889 June 17, Alexandra Harriet Paget and Edward Arthur Colebrooke married. (They attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House and are treated on the Colbrooke page.)

1897 July 2, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Paget (#90 in the list of people present) attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House, as did Gerald Gerald Paget

1902, Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget promoted to rank of General.

1914 March, Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget “precipitated the so-called Curragh ‘mutiny’ by grossly and melodramatically misrepresenting orders regarding precautionary troop movements intended to safeguard against possible seizures of arms depots by the Ulster Volunteers.”

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

Minnie Paget

Mary ('Minnie', née Stevens), Lady Paget in costume as Cleopatra. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Minnie Paget, Mrs. Arthur Paget, walked in the "Oriental" procession as Cleopatra.

John Thomson's portrait of "Mary ('Minnie', née Stevens), Lady Paget as Cleopatra" in costume is photogravure #145 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Mrs. Arthur Paget as Cleopatra."

She apparently had a Black attendant, which the Morning Post described using the n-word, quoted below; offensive language appears in other reports as well, like the description of Minnie Paget's appearance in the report of the American Providence [Rhode Island] Evening Telegram.

• She was dressed in an "Egyptian costume, the train of black crepe de chine embroidered with gold scarabaeus and lined with cloth of gold; skirt of black gauze with lotus flowers worked in gold, and sash of gauze tissue wrought with stones and scarabaeus. The bodice, glittering with gold and diamonds, was held up on the shoulders with straps of large emeralds and diamonds. The square head-dress was of Egyptian cloth of gold, the sphinx-like side pieces being striped black and gold encrusted with diamonds, and in the middle of the forehead hung a large pearl from a ruby; above was the ibis with outstretched wings of diamonds and sapphires, and beyond were peacock feathers standing out, and the back was all looped with pearls and amber. The remainder of the head-dress was of uncut rubies and emeralds, all real stones, surmounted by the jewelled crown of Egypt; round the neck were row upon row of necklaces of various gems, reaching to the waist, and a jewelled girdle fell to the hem; a nigger [sic] held a fan of ostrich feathers over her head."
• "Mrs. Arthur Paget appeared in an Egyptian costume, the train being of black crepe de chine embroidered with gold scarabæns, and lined with cloth of gold; skirt of black gauze with lotus flowers worked in gold, and sash of gauze tissue wrought with stones and scarabæns. The bodice, glittering with gold and diamonds, was held up on the shoulders with straps of large emeralds and diamonds."
• "Another Cleopatra was Mrs. Arthur Paget, who really looked the character, as she is so dark and Oriental in appearance. Mrs. Paget had a black attendant."
• "There were also two Cleopatras ..., and Mrs. Arthur Paget looked her character to the life, and her jewels were quite the most magnificent in the room. Mr. Gerald Paget walked beside her, attired very effectively as Mark Antony."

Sir Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget in costume as Edward, the Black Prince. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.

Effigy of Edward, the Black Prince, Canterbury Cathedral

Coat of Arms of Edward, the Black Prince, showing fleurs de lis and lions

Col. Arthur Paget

Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget (at 91), Col. Arthur Paget, also attended, as Prince Edward of Woodstock, the "Black Prince":

• "Colonel Arthur Paget assumed the character of Edward the Black Prince in a chain-mail, with black velvet coat embroidered in gold."
• He was dressed as "Edward the Black Prince, in a chain mail, with black velvet coat embroidered in gold, and fur coat worked with lions and fleur-de-lis in gold; black helmet and Prince of Wales's plume."

John Thomson's portrait of "Sir Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget as Edward, the Black Prince" in costume is photogravure #146 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery. The printing on the portrait says, "Colonel Arthur Paget as Edward the Black Prince."

Edward, the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), son of King Edward III, was a successful military leader. If he had not died before his father, he would have been king of England. His tomb is in Canterbury Cathedral with his surcoat, helmet, shield, and gauntlets. A closeup of his effigy in Canterbury Cathedral is at the right, along with his coat of arms, which shows the design on the surcoat or tabard Arthur Paget is wearing.

Gerald Paget Paget

Gerald Paget Paget (at 237) was dressed as Marc Antony in the Oriental procession (both sources say Gerald Paget Paget). No obvious candidate for Gerald Paget Paget can be found except for Gerald Cecil Stewart Paget (15 October 1854 – 25 October 1913), Sir Arthur Paget's brother, who seems quite likely, in part because he would be Marc Antony to Minnie Paget's Cleopatra. The Gentlewoman, which calls him Mr. Gerald Paget, says they walked together in the procession.

Demographics

• Nationality: Minnie (Mary) Stevens Paget was American, but Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget was British.

Family

• General Lord Alfred Henry Paget (26 June 1816 – 24 August 1888)
• Cecilia Wyndham (baptised 1 November 1829 – 3 May 1914)
  1. Victoria Alexandrina Paget (1848 – 2 February 1859)
  2. Hon. Evelyn Cecilia Paget (c. 1850 – 17 May 1904)
  3. General Rt. Hon. Sir Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget (1 March 1851 – 8 December 1928)
  4. Admiral Rt. Hon. Sir Alfred Wyndham Paget (26 March 1852 – 17 June 1918)
  5. Major George Thomas Cavendish Paget (24 May 1853 – 28 January 1939)
  6. Captain Gerald Cecil Stewart Paget (15 October 1854 – 25 October 1913)
  7. Violet Mary Paget (1856 – 13 June 1908)
  8. Lt. Sydney Augustus Paget (19 April 1857 – 16 September 1916)
  9. Amy Olivia Paget (3 June 1858 – 14 February 1948)
  10. Alberta Victoria Paget (1860 – 28 July 1945)
  11. Almeric Hugh Paget, 1st and last Baron Queenborough (14 March 1861 – 22 September 1949)
  12. Alice Maud Paget (1863 – 24 December 1925)
  13. Alexandra Harriet Paget (1865 – 19 October 1944)
  14. Guinevere Eva Paget (1869 – 26 February 1894)

• Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget (1 March 1851 – 8 December 1928)
• Minnie (Mary) Stevens (1853 – May 1919)

1. Louise Margaret Leila Wemyss Paget ( – 24 September 1958)
2. Albert Edward Sydney Louis Paget (23 May 1879 – 2 August 1917)
3. Arthur Wyndham Louis Paget (6 March 1888 – 28 February 1966)
4. Reginald Scudamore George Paget (6 March 1888 – 11 June 1931)

• Captain Gerald Cecil Stewart Paget (15 October 1854 – 25 October 1913)
• Lucy Annie Emily Gardner ( – 15 April 1927)
  1. Dorothy Cecilia Paget (30 November 1878 – 10 February 1936)
  2. Lettice Mina Paget (25 July 1880 – 6 December 1969)

Stevens Family

• Paran Stevens (11 September 1802 – 25 April 1872)
• Eliza Jewett (1 April 1801 – 4 March 1850)
  1. Ellen Stevens Melcher (September 1826 – 11 September 1908)
• Marietta Reed (1827 – 3 April 1895)
  1. Minnie (Mary) Fiske Stevens (13 August 1853 – 20 May 1919)

Questions and Notes

1. Arthur Fitzroy Paget was a colonel in 1897, a general in 1902.

Bibliography

1. Fitzroy, Sir Almeric. Memoirs. 2 vols. 1925.