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Nell, The Duchess of Manchester
By Robert Wainwright
Published by Allen & Unwin
ISBN
9781761068980
For those of us who appreciate a good page turner,, this magnificently written biographical story of Nell Stead from Melbourne, is more than this, I was glued to the pages.
While Nell, who first became Lady Mandeville on marrying Viscount Mandeville, or "Mandy" as he was known to many, before becoming the Duchess of Manchester, is the title of main subject of this book. She was Australia's first and only Duchess. However, it delves far deeper into the history of the thirteen Dukes of Manchester. Most were good upstanding and responsible landowners and custodians of the Duchy. But sadly, not all.
Robert Wainwright's biography of Nell and the Mandeville family, takes us on the journey from the time when young Nell Stead had completed school and her self-made, well-to-do Irish migrant father, now widowed. It was not long after Nell's mother had died, their father decided that his daughters needed something to cheer them up, so he sent two of his daughters for a holiday to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from Melbourne.
Nell and friends were part of the social set and the media frequently reported on where they went and what they wore, much the same as the media do nowadays.
This holiday in 1926, proved to be pivotal for Nell's future. This is where she met the young, handsome naval lieutenant, Alexander Drogo Montagu, son of the Duke of Mandeville, next to the swimming pool at their Colombo hotel. Little did she know he would be heir to three castles and sprawling estates.
They fell in love and while she returned to Australia and he to the navy, it was not long before Nell received a proposal of marriage. Before they married, in London she got to know the exciting "Mandy" and his friends, his love of cars and driving often at break-neck speeds. There are some interesting stories told about Mandy and his friends and their cars. Some of these stories had me sitting on the edge of my seate, but especially one Mandy was showing their friends around the family estate in two cars. Another was on the day before their marriage.
The main family home was Kimbolton Castle, there are several photos included, showing the impressive castle and members of the family. Once a thriving working farm with cattle and crops, but sadly, both Mandy's grandfather and father let the estate fall into ruin as both forebears were more interested in gambling, drinking and the good life than being good custodians and improving their inheritance for generations to follow. Likewise, with their other castles, one in Ireland. It was easier for them to sell off parcels of land than to work and improve the estates.
Like many large estate homes, it was cold and draughty but the Mandevilles decided to invest and improve Kimbolton Castle, updating it, connecting electricity and making many repairs and renovations, so it could be used as a family home once again.
Just as Nell and Mandy were pleased with the work and ready to move back in, World War II broke out and they offered the castle to be used by the Army for the Royal Medical corp. It is rather sad reading, as the author describes the state in which it was left it by the corp.
Mandy returned to his naval unit and they moved Nell and their first son, Lord Kim, to the safety of America. Their son now ensconced in a boarding school, Nell returned to help with the war effort. They had a second son Angus much later.
The couple had an incredibly varied life that saw them live on three continents. They bought a substantial property in Kenya to escape the debilitating taxes imposed by Prime Minister Clement Attlee. The farm was hugely successful. They grew coffee, wheat and other crops and farmed cattle, quite a number shipped over from their English estate where their estate manager continued to maintain Kimbolton and its hunting parties. There are some amusing quotes such as when they saw a train passing and said to their friends the last three carriage contained their furniture from England for their new home - it was true.
Once again they had to overcome frightening times as they managed to survive the Mau-Mau rebellion attacks, but in the meantime had bought a substantial home in San Francisco as back up. The information about these Mau-Mau attacks is included and also the reconciliation with Jomo Kenyatta and the colonialists.
This a most interesting book about the life and times of the Montagu family, their family names and why their title is Duke of Manchester, even though they did not live there, nor were their estates anywhere near the city of Manchester. Nell and Mandy particularly had remarkable lives, as did their sons and grandson, the two latter Dukes both having stints in jails, multiple marriages taking after their grandfather and great grandfather.
Today Kimbolton Castle is home to a private school. The last two or three chapters bring this once grand family's story to a close with many surprises, some rather eye opening.
The Author
Robert Wainwright is an Australian author and journalist, based in London, with more than 30 years' experience in national daily newspapers.
He has been acknowledged wth a number of journalism awards, most notably as a three-time finalist in Australia's most prestigious journalism prize, the Walkley Awards. His career as an author grew from journalism and
Nell, The Duchess of Manchester is his 17th non-fiction book,
Nellie - The Life and Loves Dame Nellie Melba was reviewed here in schooldaysmagazine and is featured below this. Six of his books have been finalists in prominent Australian and British literary awards, including winning the 2017 Times Biography of the Year at the British Sportsbook Awards for his book Maverick Mountaineer, on the life of Australian mountain climber and scientist, George Ingle-Finch. One book has been turned into a television movie, another was the basis for a musical and two others are currently under production as feature films.
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