Duchess Countess Naming

Reader's Letters & Queries: NarrowBoat, Spring 2013

Duchess Countess Naming Further to the article on Duchess Countess (Winter 2012 NB), my mother pointed out that the name usually refers to Elizabeth Leveson-Gower who was Countess of Sutherland in her own right. Her husband the Marquess of Stafford was created the Duke of Sutherland and thus she became the Duchess of Sutherland and was often referred to as the Duchess-Countess of Sutherland. Also, searching the British Newspaper Archive I found an article in the Manchester Evening News for Saturday 2nd October 1915 (right) which reports that the Duchess Countess ceased running in September 1915. Martin O’Keeffe, by email The lady after whom the boat discussed in the Winter 2012 issue of NarrowBoat was named became Countess of Sutherland in her own right in 1766 at the age of one, her succession being approved by the House of Lords after a challenge by several other claimants. She married Viscount Trentham (who became Earl Gower and subsequently Marquess of Stafford). When h…