Countess of Dudley at the opening of the Workers' Institute
Countess of Dudley's Speech
The flags are out for the Countess in Dudley
The Countess of Dudley opened the Workers' Institute on June 10th 1912. The photograph shows her standing with Sir George Hingley, inside the public fountain niche at the front of the building, surrounded by a large crowd.
But what was her connection with the Institute? She was in Australia during the women chainmakers' fight for a minimum wage and the strike of 1910, although she said that news of it had reached Australia.
It seems that her connection with the Institute came through her husband's commercial interests in the Black Country. The Earl of Dudley owned coal and limestone mines and the Round Oak steelworks in Brierley Hill. She was born in Norfolk, but judging from her speech, felt herself to be a Black Country woman. An extract of the speech is included here. (see "The Opening Ceremony" for the full speech)
Lady Dudley was born Rachel Gurney, younger daughter of Charles Henry Gurney, a Quaker banker. When his business failed she was cared for by her cousin Adeline, wife of the tenth Duke of Bedford. She was the great niece of Elizabeth Fry.
In 1891 she married William Humble Ward, the second Earl of Dudley. He was Viceroy of Ireland and in 1908 became Governor-General of Australia. Lady Dudley took a very active public role for the wife of a Governor-General. She had a nursing background, and while in Australia she set up state-based bush-nursing associations, which operated in outback Australia for nearly sixty years.
Back in England she became president of the Kidderminster District Nurses Society in 1912. At the beginning of the First World War she established an Australian Volunteer Hospital in France. She was awarded the C.B.E. in 1918 and the Royal Red Cross in 1919.
Whilst in Australia, the Dudley's marriage broke down. Newspapers at the time accused Lord Dudley of having affairs with Australian married ladies. The marriage came to an end in August 1912, with a final, formal separation.
Tragically, Lady Dudley died while swimming in the sea on the Connemara coast of Ireland on 26th June 1920. She was survived by four sons and three daughters. In 1924 the Earl married the actress Gertie Millar, one of London's outstanding musical theatre favourites.
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| Updated: | Thu 12 Jul 2007 - 0 |
| Interpretation written by | Barbara Harris |
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