Papers relating to the Earl and Countess Ferrers

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 133 EGR3/6/2/14/44
  • Dates of Creation
      10-11 Mar 1757
  • Physical Description
      3 sheets, in separate wrapper.

Scope and Content

3 reports of the proceedings for separation between [Laurence, 4th] Earl Ferrers and [Mary] Countess Ferrers, heard in the House of Lords on 10-11 March 1757. The Countess refused to return to the Earl, claiming that she was convinced her life would be frequently in danger.

[The 4th Earl married Mary daughter of Amos Meredith of Henbury (who was a lessor of lands in Altrincham, Hale and Dunham Massey). He "frequently evinced strong symptoms of a constitutional violence of temper". He was executed for the murder of his steward in 1760: see Sir Bernard Burke, A genealogical and heraldic history of the peerage and baronetage, the Privy Council, knightage and companionage, 77th edition (London: Harrison & Sons, 1915), p. 797. George Booth, whose own marriage was unhappy, wrote a treatise on the desirability of divorce on grounds of incompatibility of temper: see EGR3/6 description above.]

The report dated 10 March is written in the hand of Mary Countess of Stamford.

Modern wrapper endorsed: "Papers relating to Earl & Countess Ferrers" (in the hand of the 10th Earl of Stamford).