Antonella Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian
Encyclopedia
Antonella Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian, OBE
, DSG (8 September 1922 – 6 January 2007) was a journalist
. She founded the annual Women of The Year Lunches at the Savoy Hotel
in 1955 and was the mother of Conservative
politician Michael Ancram
.
Known as "Tony Lothian", she was born in Rome
as Antonella Reuss Newland. She was the only child of Major-General Sir Foster Reuss Newland (1862–1943) and his wife, Donna Nennella Salazar. Her parents had married in 1918, but were divorced in 1928, after her mother, the daughter of an Italian
lieutenant-general, Conte Michele Salazar
(descendant of a Spanish
nobleman from the times of the Spanish presence in Italy
), left her 66-year-old father for a 27-year-old army officer, William Carr. Her step father later rose to become a Brigadier
.
Tony married Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian
, a distant relative, at the Brompton Oratory on 30 April 1943. He was then serving in the Scots Guards
. The couple spent most of their married life at Monteviot House
and its surrounding 18000 acres (72.8 km²) estate near Jedburgh
in the Scottish Borders
. They also owned Melbourne Hall
in Derbyshire. They later retired to Ferniehirst Castle
, near Jedburgh, after passing the other houses to their sons.
The couple had two sons and four daughters. Her husband died in October 2004, succeeded by their elder son, Conservative
politician Michael Ancram
. The younger son is Lord Ralph Kerr. Their eldest daughter, Lady Mary Kerr, was a folksinger and won a silver medal in skiing at the 1969 Commonwealth Games, and later married Charles Graf von Westenholz. Their second daughter, Lady Cecil Kerr, married Donald Angus Cameron of Lochiel, younger, now XXVII Chief of the Clan Cameron
. The other daughters married the heirs of the Duke of Grafton
and the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry: Lady Claire Kerr married James FitzRoy, Earl of Euston, and Lady Elizabeth Kerr married Richard Scott, Earl of Dalkeith, the present Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry.
Tony Lothian pursuing her own career as an author, broadcaster and journalist. She was a columnist with the Scottish Daily Express from 1960 to 1975. She became a Fellow of the Institute of Journalists, and won the Templeton Award in 1992.
With Odette Hallowes and Georgina Coleridge, she founded the annual Women of the Year lunches at the Savoy Hotel
in 1955, in aid of the Greater London Fund for the Blind
and other charities. She was also vice-president of the Royal College of Nursing
from 1960 to 1980, and a patron of the National Council of Women of Great Britain and of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
.
She lost an eye in 1970 as a result of cancer, sporting a black eye patch thereafter. She received the OBE in 1997, for services to women and blind people, and became a Dame of St Gregory in 2002.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSG (8 September 1922 – 6 January 2007) was a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. She founded the annual Women of The Year Lunches at the Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
in 1955 and was the mother of Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician Michael Ancram
Michael Ancram
Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, PC, QC , known as Michael Ancram, is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. He is a member of the House of Lords, former Member of Parliament, and a former member of the Shadow Cabinet...
.
Known as "Tony Lothian", she was born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
as Antonella Reuss Newland. She was the only child of Major-General Sir Foster Reuss Newland (1862–1943) and his wife, Donna Nennella Salazar. Her parents had married in 1918, but were divorced in 1928, after her mother, the daughter of an Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
lieutenant-general, Conte Michele Salazar
Salazar
- Angola :* Vila Salazar, Portuguese colonial name for the city of N'dalatando in the province of Cuanza Norte- Spain :* Salazar , a village in the municipality of Villarcayo de Merindad de Castilla la Vieja, province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León* Salazar Valley, in...
(descendant of a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
nobleman from the times of the Spanish presence in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), left her 66-year-old father for a 27-year-old army officer, William Carr. Her step father later rose to become a Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
.
Tony married Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian
Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian
Peter Francis Walter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian, KCVO was a British peer, politician and landowner....
, a distant relative, at the Brompton Oratory on 30 April 1943. He was then serving in the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
. The couple spent most of their married life at Monteviot House
Monteviot
Monteviot House is the early 18th century home of the Marquess of Lothian, the politician better known as Michael Ancram. It is located on the River Teviot near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
and its surrounding 18000 acres (72.8 km²) estate near Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
. They also owned Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall
Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire, England was once the seat of the Victorian Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, and thus is the ultimate origin for the naming of Melbourne, Australia. The house is now the seat of Lord Ralph Kerr and Lady Kerr and is open to the public...
in Derbyshire. They later retired to Ferniehirst Castle
Ferniehirst Castle
Ferniehirst Castle is an L-shaped construction on the east bank of the Jed Water, about a mile and a half south of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, and in the former county of Berwickshire...
, near Jedburgh, after passing the other houses to their sons.
The couple had two sons and four daughters. Her husband died in October 2004, succeeded by their elder son, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician Michael Ancram
Michael Ancram
Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, PC, QC , known as Michael Ancram, is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. He is a member of the House of Lords, former Member of Parliament, and a former member of the Shadow Cabinet...
. The younger son is Lord Ralph Kerr. Their eldest daughter, Lady Mary Kerr, was a folksinger and won a silver medal in skiing at the 1969 Commonwealth Games, and later married Charles Graf von Westenholz. Their second daughter, Lady Cecil Kerr, married Donald Angus Cameron of Lochiel, younger, now XXVII Chief of the Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...
. The other daughters married the heirs of the Duke of Grafton
Duke of Grafton
Duke of Grafton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1675 by Charles II of England for his 2nd illegitimate son by the Duchess of Cleveland, Henry FitzRoy...
and the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry: Lady Claire Kerr married James FitzRoy, Earl of Euston, and Lady Elizabeth Kerr married Richard Scott, Earl of Dalkeith, the present Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry.
Tony Lothian pursuing her own career as an author, broadcaster and journalist. She was a columnist with the Scottish Daily Express from 1960 to 1975. She became a Fellow of the Institute of Journalists, and won the Templeton Award in 1992.
With Odette Hallowes and Georgina Coleridge, she founded the annual Women of the Year lunches at the Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
in 1955, in aid of the Greater London Fund for the Blind
Greater London Fund for the Blind
The Greater London Fund for the Blind is a British charity. It was formed in 1921 by Sir Arthur Pearson to co-ordinate the raising of funds to improve the lives of blind and visually impaired people in London....
and other charities. She was also vice-president of the Royal College of Nursing
Royal College of Nursing
The Royal College of Nursing is a union membership organisation with over 395,000 members in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1916, receiving its Royal Charter in 1928, Queen Elizabeth II is the patron...
from 1960 to 1980, and a patron of the National Council of Women of Great Britain and of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is a professional association based in the UK. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, that is, pregnancy, childbirth, and female sexual and reproductive health...
.
She lost an eye in 1970 as a result of cancer, sporting a black eye patch thereafter. She received the OBE in 1997, for services to women and blind people, and became a Dame of St Gregory in 2002.