Mary Helen Lady Dashwood nee Graham 1763-1796

Born: 1763 and died 1796.
Daughter  of:  John Graham (1741-1775) and Mary Graham nee Shewen (1737?-1798). 
Sister  of:
1. William Graham (born 13 January 1774 in Calcutta). 
2. Col George Edward Graham (later Foster Pigott, born 1774 or 1771, died 1831) who married Mary Foster (died 1858).
3. Frances Marsh (1770-1805) nee Graham who was the second wife of  William Marsh (1755-1846).
4. Possibly two other brothers. 
Mary married: Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood (1745-1828), 3rd Bart, of Kertlington, Oxon.       
Mary and Henry had issue :
1. Henry George Mayne Dashwood (1782-1803).
2. Sir George Dashwood, 4th Bart.
3. Lt Col Charles Dashwood CB (1787-1832) who married Caroline Barlow (17??-1860), daughter of Adm Sir Robert Barlow GCB.
4. Rev Augustus Dashwood (1795-1863) who married Hester Astley (17??-1867).
5. Anna Maria Dashwood (1785-1857).  She married John Loftus, 2nd Marquess of Ely, son of Charles Loftus, 1st Marquess of Ely and Jane Myhill, in 1810.
6. Georgina Caroline Dashwood (17??-1835) who married Sir Jacob Astley, 6th Bart, later 16th Baron Hastings.

Mary Helen Lady Dashwood nee Graham: An Overview

We know of Mary from the following sources:
1. Heath-Caldwell family archive.  Notes relating to William Marsh the Banker.
2. The book 'Portraits in Norfolk Houses' by Prince Frederick Duleep Singh. 
3. Her portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
4. The Graham family website (http://www.inchbrakie.com ).

The entry in the diary of Eliza Louisa Marsh-Caldwell reads as follows: Mr Marsh married secondly in 1792 Frances , second daughter of Mr Graham of Kinross and for some years M.P. for that County. She was a person of a most sweet and gentle disposition and was adored by her step children and could not have been more so had she been their own mother.  Her brother was the Colonel Graham who became a Parnter in our Grandfather's bank and her only and eldest sister married Sir Henry Dashwood, of Kertlington, Oxon.  Lady Dashwood was very beautiful and much about the Court, but had a troubled life, as Sir Henry was a great gambler and often brought his family to great straits and as Lady Ely, his eldest daughter, who married the Marquis of Ely, used to say with tears in her eyes to her uncle (by marriage) our Grandfather, "What would have become of them all but for his kindness, she used to say" and I believe, in truth that at one time he almost maintained the whole Ketlington family. Three portraits of Mary's daughter, Georgiana Carolina Lady Hastings, are listed in the book  'Portraits in Norfolk Houses' by Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, undated but published around 1927-1928.  Vol II, page 9 & 10.  Painted by H W Pickersgill around 1835 and a miniature by R Saunders.  Georgiana Carolina, second daughter of Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood, 3rd Bart., by Mary Helen his wife, daughter of John Graham of Kinross, N.B., and the Supreme Court, Calcutta; married 9th March 1829, Sir Jacob Astley, 6th Bart., afterwards 16th Lord Hastings.  She died 28 June 1835.  Georgiana had children, her heir being Jacob Henry Delaval Astley 17th Lord Hastings. A portrait of Mary's husband was sold by Doyle Auctions, New York.  Important English and Continental - Sale 0301221 Wednesday, January 22, 2003.  Lot 158.  George Romney, British, 1734-1802.  PORTRAIT OF SIR HENRY WATKINS DASHWOOD, Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 65.0 cm.),

Sir Henry Watkins Dashwood

If anyone on the internet can tell me more about Mary then I would be very pleased to hear from you.

If you have any information to add to what is listed please contact me on jj@jjhc.info
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