BlackRussian Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire has died aged 94. She was the last of the Mitford sisters and lived for more than 50 years at Chatsworth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dafodil Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 In a recent interview the Duchess told how worrying it was to be left all the stately homes along with the thousands of acres, priceless works of art and hundreds of cottages spread around all over the place. I felt so sorry for her as I left for the twilight shift at Bassets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boothybabe Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 In a recent interview the Duchess told how worrying it was to be left all the stately homes along with the thousands of acres, priceless works of art and hundreds of cottages spread around all over the place. I felt so sorry for her as I left for the twilight shift at Bassets. I thought you'd be raking it in under Mondelēz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Debbo, last of the Mitford girls. A fascinating family on the fringes of history,and very much of their time. Well worth finding out about if you're not familiar with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maz3 Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Nancy Mitford's books give a good account of their totally bonkers upbringing. Had they been working class they'd have been taken into care ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minimo Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I met her and the (previous) Duke some years ago, when they allowed my disabled companion to use their private gate (which was a short cut to the car park) They were utterly charming and so friendly. RIP to a gracious old lady. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcoblog Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I really don't think it matters who her past relations were at all. The point being that the Duchess has died. Wether or not you respect the Devonshires as a family, there's no doubting the amount of work she put in to restoring Chatsworth to its former glory (on the way anyway) which is now enjoyed by anyone who cares to visit. I love the place, wether it be walking, picnics or events such as the current 'Beyond Limits' sculpture exhibition. I think we are pretty fortunate to have such a world famous landmark so close to Sheffield. Sad news, but she had a good innings ... everyone dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blake Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 She was the last of the Mitford sisters. have there been no Mitford sisters since with that name, then? is it not possible that 2 girls, who are sisters, could go by the surname of Mitford, in future? And who are totally unrelated, to the Duchess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I met her and the (previous) Duke some years ago, when they allowed my disabled companion to use their private gate (which was a short cut to the car park) They were utterly charming and so friendly. RIP to a gracious old lady. Their privileged position, doesn't have to have made them any less human then anyone else. I really don't think it matters who her past relations were at all. The point being that the Duchess has died. Wether or not you respect the Devonshires as a family, there's no doubting the amount of work she put in to restoring Chatsworth to its former glory (on the way anyway) which is now enjoyed by anyone who cares to visit. I love the place, wether it be walking, picnics or events such as the current 'Beyond Limits' sculpture exhibition. I think we are pretty fortunate to have such a world famous landmark so close to Sheffield. Sad news, but she had a good innings ... everyone dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeMaquis Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I met her and the (previous) Duke some years ago, when they allowed my disabled companion to use their private gate (which was a short cut to the car park) They were utterly charming and so friendly. RIP to a gracious old lady. I really don't think it matters who her past relations were at all. Deborah Mitford met Hitler in 1937 with her sister Unity. Of course that was in the days when Adolf was just the kind of everyday fascist leader anyone could bump into down the pub or at a rally in Nuremberg. There are a lot of people on here who must have grown up in a Dickens novel endlessly saying cor blimey guvnor you're a real toff and make no mistake and who would have been interned during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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