Augusta Crichton-Stuart, Marchioness of Bute

Augusta Mary Monica Crichton-Stuart, Marchioness of Bute, (née Bellingham; 19 August 1880 – 16 May 1947), was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat who was a daughter of Sir Henry Bellingham, 4th Baronet, and Lady Constance Julia Eleanor Georgiana Noel, daughter of Charles Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough.

Marriage and children On 6 July 1905, she married John Crichton-Stuart, 4th Marquess of Bute (1881-1947), son of John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, and Hon. Gwendolen Mary Anne Fitzalan-Howard. Both her father and her father-in-law were noted converts to Roman Catholicism. The wedding was held at Castle Bellingham, in the village of Castlebellingham in County Louth, Ireland, and was followed by a party at Mount Stuart House in Scotland. A film company was hired to film the event; and it served as one of the earliest examples of the aristocratic classes making a private film.

After her marriage, Augusta Bellingham was styled as The Marchioness of Bute and her married name became Crichton-Stuart. She and her husband had seven children:

Lady Mary Crichton-Stuart (8 May 1906 – 1980); married Edward Walker and had children Sir John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of the County of Bute (4 August 1907 – 14 August 1956); married Lady Eileen Beatrice Forbes and had children Lady Jean Crichton-Stuart (28 October 1908 – 23 October 1995); married Lt.-Cmdr. Hon. James Bertie and had two sons; her elder son was Fra' Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1988 until his death in 2008. Lord Robert Crichton-Stuart (12 December 1909 – 1976); married Lady Janet Egida Montgomerie (1911–1999), daughter of Archibald Montgomerie, 16th Earl of Eglinton, and had children. Lord David Crichton-Stuart (8 February 1911 – 1970)); married Ursula Packe and had children. Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart (1 February 1913 – 5 February 1956); married Jane von Bahr and had children. Lord Rhidian Crichton-Stuart (4 June 1917 – 25 June 1969); married Selina van Wijk and had children.

War service During the First World War, the marchioness opened up the family home at Mount Stuart as a military hospital. It was handed to the Admiralty and was a Naval Hospital from 1914-1918. She herself trained to carry out nursing duties, at the Scottish General Hospital at Stobhill.

In recognition of her services, she was invested as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1918. She was also invested as a Dame of Grace, Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and decorated with the Médaille de la Reine Elisabeth of Belgium. She also worked as a nurse, known as Nurse Stuart, with Professor Hepburn at the Third Western Hospital in Cardiff.

Death Lord Bute died on 25 April 1947, aged 65. Lady Bute followed almost a month later, in Rothesay on 16 May 1947, aged 66.

Ancestry