Alice Charlotte von Rothschild
Encyclopedia
Alice Charlotte von Rothschild (17 February 1847 – 3 May 1922) was a socialite and member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of Austria
. Born in Frankfurt
, she was the eighth and youngest child of Anselm von Rothschild
(1803–1874) and Charlotte Rothschild (1807–1859). She was a small child when her family moved to Vienna
where her father took over management of the family-owned S M von Rothschild
bank.
Alice von Rothschild's mother was the daughter of Nathan Mayer Rothschild
of London
and as a result the family would have close connections to the English branch of the Rothschild family
. Her brother Ferdinand
, with whom she was very close, studied at Cambridge University and married an English cousin.
Her mother died when she was twelve and as a result of her busy father who traveled constantly, she spent a lonely childhood, living with various relations. When her brother Ferdinand began the construction in 1874 of Waddesdon Manor
in Buckinghamshire
England, Alice von Rothschild acquired a nearby property at Eythrope
for herself. There, between 1876 and 1879, she had a park and garden created and a house built near the river called Eythrope Pavilion. Because she had suffered from rheumatic fever
, she had been advised not to sleep near water as dampness would aggravate her health problem. As such, her house was built for daytime occupation only and at nights she returned to stay at Waddesdon Manor.
In late 1898, following the death of her brother, Alice inherited Waddesdon Manor. During World War I
she had the formal gardens at Waddesdon and Eythrope given over to the growing of vegetable
s for the less fortunate. The Eythrope Pavilion was still maintained but now as even more of an occasional retreat. As her health declined she spent more of her time at her magnificent château, "Villa Victoria", in the balmier climate of the town of Grasse
in the Alpes-Maritimes
département in France
. Her property was located about 12 miles (19 Kilometers) inland, north of the Mediterranean coast
and here she created an enormous garden that employed more than one hundred gardeners. A spinster, she wanted to be near family and her château was close to Cannes
where her cousin Laura Thérèse von Rothschild, widow of James-Edouard de Rothschild owned the Villa Rothschild, Cannes, and only 34 miles (55 Kilometers) from Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
, the seaside estate owned by another cousin, Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild
.
Queen Victoria
, a close friend, vacationed in Grasse and visited Villa Victoria. According to the book The Rothschild Gardens by Miriam Rothschild, at the turn of the century, Alice von Rothschild spent the equivalent of nearly half-a-million pounds (Sterling) annually on her gardens and grounds at Grasse. Imperious in nature, Alice was a strong-willed person who spoke her mind. According to a 2001 book by author Michael Nelson
: "the Queen stepped on a lawn and across a flower-bed, inadvertently crushing several plants. The baroness could not contain herself and roughly told the sovereign in effect to 'Get out'. Thereafter the Queen always referred to her as 'The All-Powerful One'."
Like most other members of the Rothschild family, Alice von Rothschild was a collector of art. While she acquired paintings, sculptures and objets d'art, Alice von Rothschild also had a unique collection of smoking pipes, including French, Spanish and Italian examples from the 17th century. The collection was donated to the town of Grasse on her death in 1922.
The château in Grasse later became the hotel "Parc Palace", where the famous French actor Gérard Philipe
was raised. Alice von Rothschild willed Waddesdon Manor to James Armand de Rothschild
.
Avenue Rothschild in Grasse is named in her honor.
Rothschild banking family of Austria
The Rothschild banking family of Austria was founded by Salomon Mayer von Rothschild in 1820 in Vienna in what was then the Austrian Empire.-History:...
. Born in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, she was the eighth and youngest child of Anselm von Rothschild
Anselm von Rothschild
Anselm Salomon von Rothschild, baron was an Austrian banker, and a member of the Vienna branch of the Rothschild family....
(1803–1874) and Charlotte Rothschild (1807–1859). She was a small child when her family moved to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
where her father took over management of the family-owned S M von Rothschild
S M von Rothschild
S M von Rothschild was a banking enterprise established in 1820 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary by Salomon Mayer Rothschild, the founder of the Rothschild banking family of Austria and a member of the Mayer Amschel Rothschild family of Frankfurt, Germany. The business prospered, financing various...
bank.
Alice von Rothschild's mother was the daughter of Nathan Mayer Rothschild
Nathan Mayer Rothschild
Nathan Mayer, Freiherr von Rothschild , known as Nathan Mayer Rothschild, was a London financier and one of the founders of the international Rothschild family banking dynasty...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and as a result the family would have close connections to the English branch of the Rothschild family
Rothschild banking family of England
The Rothschild banking family of England was founded in 1798 by Nathan Mayer von Rothschild who first settled in Manchester but then moved to London. Nathan was sent there from his home in Frankfurt by his father, Mayer Amschel Rothschild...
. Her brother Ferdinand
Ferdinand James von Rothschild
Ferdinand James Anselm Freiherr von Rothschild was an English art collector, and a member of the prominent Rothschild family of bankers...
, with whom she was very close, studied at Cambridge University and married an English cousin.
Her mother died when she was twelve and as a result of her busy father who traveled constantly, she spent a lonely childhood, living with various relations. When her brother Ferdinand began the construction in 1874 of Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon Manor is a country house in the village of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. The house was built in the Neo-Renaissance style of a French château between 1874 and 1889 for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild . Since this was the preferred style of the Rothschilds it became also known as...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
England, Alice von Rothschild acquired a nearby property at Eythrope
Eythrope
Eythrope is a hamlet and country house in the parish of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located to the south east of the main village of Waddesdon, and is the present home of a branch of the Rothschild family....
for herself. There, between 1876 and 1879, she had a park and garden created and a house built near the river called Eythrope Pavilion. Because she had suffered from rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
, she had been advised not to sleep near water as dampness would aggravate her health problem. As such, her house was built for daytime occupation only and at nights she returned to stay at Waddesdon Manor.
In late 1898, following the death of her brother, Alice inherited Waddesdon Manor. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
she had the formal gardens at Waddesdon and Eythrope given over to the growing of vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s for the less fortunate. The Eythrope Pavilion was still maintained but now as even more of an occasional retreat. As her health declined she spent more of her time at her magnificent château, "Villa Victoria", in the balmier climate of the town of Grasse
Grasse
-See also:*Route Napoléon*Ancient Diocese of Grasse*Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department-External links:*...
in the Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
département in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Her property was located about 12 miles (19 Kilometers) inland, north of the Mediterranean coast
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and here she created an enormous garden that employed more than one hundred gardeners. A spinster, she wanted to be near family and her château was close to Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
where her cousin Laura Thérèse von Rothschild, widow of James-Edouard de Rothschild owned the Villa Rothschild, Cannes, and only 34 miles (55 Kilometers) from Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a French seaside palazzo constructed between 1905 and 1912 at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera by Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild in the Goût Rothschild. It was designed by the Belgian architect Aaron Messiah...
, the seaside estate owned by another cousin, Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild
Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild
Charlotte Béatrice de Rothschild was a French socialite, art collector, and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France.- Biography :...
.
Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, a close friend, vacationed in Grasse and visited Villa Victoria. According to the book The Rothschild Gardens by Miriam Rothschild, at the turn of the century, Alice von Rothschild spent the equivalent of nearly half-a-million pounds (Sterling) annually on her gardens and grounds at Grasse. Imperious in nature, Alice was a strong-willed person who spoke her mind. According to a 2001 book by author Michael Nelson
Michael Nelson
Michael John Nelson is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a defender for Championship side Scunthorpe United.-Early career:...
: "the Queen stepped on a lawn and across a flower-bed, inadvertently crushing several plants. The baroness could not contain herself and roughly told the sovereign in effect to 'Get out'. Thereafter the Queen always referred to her as 'The All-Powerful One'."
Like most other members of the Rothschild family, Alice von Rothschild was a collector of art. While she acquired paintings, sculptures and objets d'art, Alice von Rothschild also had a unique collection of smoking pipes, including French, Spanish and Italian examples from the 17th century. The collection was donated to the town of Grasse on her death in 1922.
The château in Grasse later became the hotel "Parc Palace", where the famous French actor Gérard Philipe
Gérard Philipe
Gérard Philipe was a prominent French actor, who had appeared in 34 films between 1944 and 1959.-Career:...
was raised. Alice von Rothschild willed Waddesdon Manor to James Armand de Rothschild
James Armand de Rothschild
James Armand Edmond de Rothschild, DCM, DL, was a French-born British politician and philanthropist, from the wealthy Rothschild international banking dynasty....
.
Avenue Rothschild in Grasse is named in her honor.