Australia - CHRISTINE MARY CAPELL - Countess of Essex

[webbedwards]

Hi all, The 8th Countess of Essex. CHRISTINE MARY CAPELL b UK Dec 1905/06 died June 1985 in New South Wales Australia. She was an US citizen

Any info would be great, were she lived, full date of death etc.

[maddys52]

NSW deaths (up to 1988) are free to search.
https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?70

Christine Mary CAPELL died 9 June 1985, parents George Frederick and Kathleen Winifred.

[maddys52]

I can't see a death notice, however there is an advertisement for probate which says she was "Christine Mary Capell, Dowager Countess of Essex, late of "Parklands" Widgeram Road, Merimbula."
Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, July 30, 1985

[dawnsh]

According to thepeerage.com she was styled as the Countess of Essex, but the real title was kept by a previous wife of the 8th Viscount Malden, Earl of Essex, Alys, who died in 1977

http://www.thepeerage.com/p7763.htm#i77621

http://www.thepeerage.com/p7764.htm#i77634

[webbedwards]

Hi Maddys52  many thanks for info, any link to newspaper for probate

[maddys52]

Found a death notice in the Canberra Times
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122516898

[KGarrad]

Each of the 4 wives of Algernon George de Vere Capell, 8th Earl of Essex would have been called the Countess of Essex on their marriage.

The son of Algernon, Reginald George de Vere Capell, 9th Earl of Essex, became the 9th Earl on Algernon's death in 1966.
At this time Reginald's wife would be titled the Countess of Essex.

Christine Capell, as the surviving wife, and a widow, would therefore be called the Dowager Countess of Essex.


I once had charge of the computer programming for a Pensioners Payroll.
We had a titled lady who detested the term "Dowager", so I had to amend the address routines so that letters to her were addressed to "May, Lady Sinclair of Cleve"!

[maddys52]

Hi Maddys52  many thanks for info, any link to newspaper for probate

I think you will need access to the SMH archive to see the item. I'll transcribe it:

"After 14 days from the publication of this notice an application for probate on the Will dated 15 June 1982, of CHRISTINE MARY CAPELL, Dowager Countess of Essex, late of "Parklands" Widgeram Road, Merimbula, Widow, deceased will be made by Peter John Harding, Peter George Cooke and Noel Austin Fisk Executors named in the said Will. Creditors are required to send particulars of their claims upon her Estate to KENNEDY and COOKE, Solicitors, 50 Market Street Merimbula (DX 4922 Merimbula) Telephone (0459) 51297 or their Agents R J Mc COURT WARD-HARVEY Solicitors 38 Martin Place Sydney NSW (DX 1034 Sydney) Telephone (02) 233 5063."

[webbedwards]

Very many thanks Maddys52 for all your help