Harriot Mellon rose from humble beginnings, the illegitimate daughter of a wardrobe mistress in a troupe of travelling players, to become a rich businesswoman and Duchess of St Albans. Her mother married violinist Thomas Entwisle, who taught Harriot to sing and dance, and the family went on to join a respected acting company owned by Thomas Bibby, which toured the theatres in the North. Harriot became a leading actress herself and, after being spotted by the playwright Sheridan, an established star at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, understudying both Sarah Siddons and Dorothea Jordon. By 1815 she was earning £12 a week – more than the average working woman could expect to earn in a year.
She was close to the banker Sir Thomas Coutts, who married her when his wife died that year, and they appear to have had a happy marriage despite the strong disapproval of his family. When he died in 1822 he left her not only his vast fortune, but his 50% share and partnership in his bank – an indication of his trust and confidence in her. Harriot had always shown a good head for money, keeping her own assets after marriage, and buying several houses including one each for Coutts’ daughters and her own parents from her savings. There is also evidence of her making charitable donations for prisoners and other unfortunates.
Although she inherited the bulk of her substantial fortune, for the rest of her life she proved herself an astute and committed business woman, with considerable financial acumen. NatWest’s website today gives Harriot credit for ‘running the bank…Thomas Coutts had given Harriot a clear vision of his intentions for his bank’s management, and Harriot carried that vision forward in her role as senior partner. She was a confident operator, taking an active role in decisions made in the business, and promoted Thomas’s confidential clerk Andrew Dickie to be a partner – a groundbreaking step. The loyal, reliable Dickie provided Harriot with sound business knowledge and steadfast support in her new role.’
Harriot was a prominent figure society figure during theRegency era. She married the Duke of Albans in 1827 when she was fifty, and he was twenty-eight. This caused an outcry, and Harriot was subject to a number of sarcastic caricatures and criticism. But many high placed and well-known figures held her high esteem. Her close friend, Sir Walter Scott’ wrote to congratulate her on her marriage, and she playfully responded. ‘What a strange, eventful life has mine been…You must write my life…my true history written by the author of Waverley.’ From 1830 she and her husband spent a lot of time in Brighton, residing at 1 Regency Square, until her death in 1837. A blue plaque commemorates her there today. In unveiling it, the current Duke said ‘Harriot felt more at home in Brighton – Brighton people took to her more than other places.’
Her legacy exerted a powerful Influence. She left the Duke of St Albans £10,000 a year for his lifetime, and her London properties; while carefully considering Thomas’s ten grandchildren as potential heirs to the rest of her estate, worth approximately £1.8m. This she eventually settled on Angela Burdett, the oldest of Thomas’ grandchildren: showing her independence and good judgement in empowering another intelligent woman. With this money, Angela went on to become one of the greatest Victorian philanthropists.
by Sue Delafons