Lady Cynthia Mosley
Encyclopedia
Lady Cynthia Blanche Mosley (23 August 1898 – 16 May 1933) was a British
politician of Anglo-American parentage and the first wife of the Conservative and Labour MP and British fascist
Sir Oswald Mosley
Born Cynthia Blanche Curzon at Kedleston Hall
, she was the second daughter of Hon. George Curzon
(created Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
in 1921) and his first wife, Mary Victoria Leiter
, an American department-store heiress. As the daughter of a Marquess
, she was styled Lady Cynthia.
On 11 May 1920, Cynthia married the then-Conservative
politician, Oswald Mosley. He was her first and only lover. They had three children by Cynthia: Vivien Elizabeth Mosley (25 February 1921 - 26 August 2002), who married on 15 January 1949 Desmond Francis Forbes Adam (27 January 1926 - car crash, 3 January 1958), educated at Eton College
, and at King's College, Cambridge
, by whom she had two daughters and one son; Nicholas Mosley, 3rd Baron Ravensdale (born 25 June 1923), a successful novelist who wrote a biography of his father and edited his memoirs for publication; and Michael Mosley (born 25 April 1932), unmarried and without issue.
After both joined the Labour Party
in 1924, she was elected Labour Member of Parliament
(MP) for Stoke-on-Trent
in 1929
and her husband was elected for Smethwick
at the same time. After finding the Labour Party unsuitable, Oswald formed the New Party
on 1 March 1931 and Lady Cynthia also joined. The party soon adopted fascist policies and became unpopular by the time of the sudden general election later that year
. All the party's candidates in the election (including Lady Cynthia) lost their seats, mostly to Conservative politicians.
After their defeat, Lady Cynthia continued to support her husband in his fascist studies until her death in 1933 at age 34 after an operation for peritonitis
following acute appendicitis
, in London.
During their marriage her younger sister Alexandra was a mistress of Mosley, as was, briefly, their stepmother, Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston
. In 1932 he began an affair with Diana Mitford
, whom he married in 1936. Diana was one of Britain's noted Mitford sisters, known for her friendship with Adolf Hitler
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician of Anglo-American parentage and the first wife of the Conservative and Labour MP and British fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
Sir Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
Born Cynthia Blanche Curzon at Kedleston Hall
Kedleston Hall
Kedleston Hall is an English country house in Kedleston, Derbyshire, approximately four miles north-west of Derby, and is the seat of the Curzon family whose name originates in Notre-Dame-de-Courson in Normandy...
, she was the second daughter of Hon. George Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
(created Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
The title Marquess Curzon of Kedleston was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1921 for the Foreign Secretary George Nathaniel Curzon, the then 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston. The title became extinct upon his death four years later....
in 1921) and his first wife, Mary Victoria Leiter
Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston
Mary Victoria Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston, CI was a British-American peeress who was Vicereine of India, as the wife of Lord Curzon of Kedleston, Viceroy of India.-In America:...
, an American department-store heiress. As the daughter of a Marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
, she was styled Lady Cynthia.
On 11 May 1920, Cynthia married the then-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, Oswald Mosley. He was her first and only lover. They had three children by Cynthia: Vivien Elizabeth Mosley (25 February 1921 - 26 August 2002), who married on 15 January 1949 Desmond Francis Forbes Adam (27 January 1926 - car crash, 3 January 1958), educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and at King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, by whom she had two daughters and one son; Nicholas Mosley, 3rd Baron Ravensdale (born 25 June 1923), a successful novelist who wrote a biography of his father and edited his memoirs for publication; and Michael Mosley (born 25 April 1932), unmarried and without issue.
After both joined the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in 1924, she was elected Labour Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke (UK Parliament constituency)
Stoke was a borough constituency in Stoke-on-Trent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Elections were held using the first past the post voting system.- History :...
in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
and her husband was elected for Smethwick
Smethwick (UK Parliament constituency)
Smethwick was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Smethwick in Staffordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
at the same time. After finding the Labour Party unsuitable, Oswald formed the New Party
New Party (Oswald Mosley)
The New Party was a political party briefly active in the United Kingdom in the early 1930s. It was formed by Sir Oswald Mosley, an MP who had belonged to both the Conservative and Labour parties, quitting Labour after its 1930 conference narrowly rejected his "Mosley Memorandum", a document he...
on 1 March 1931 and Lady Cynthia also joined. The party soon adopted fascist policies and became unpopular by the time of the sudden general election later that year
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
. All the party's candidates in the election (including Lady Cynthia) lost their seats, mostly to Conservative politicians.
After their defeat, Lady Cynthia continued to support her husband in his fascist studies until her death in 1933 at age 34 after an operation for peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
following acute appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
, in London.
During their marriage her younger sister Alexandra was a mistress of Mosley, as was, briefly, their stepmother, Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston
Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston
Grace Elvina, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston was born as Grace Elvina Hinds in Alabama, a daughter of J. Monroe Hinds, former United States Minister to Brazil...
. In 1932 he began an affair with Diana Mitford
Diana Mitford
Diana Mitford, Lady Mosley , was one of Britain's noted Mitford sisters. She was married first to Bryan Walter Guinness, heir to the barony of Moyne, and secondly to Sir Oswald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, leader of the British Union of Fascists; her second marriage, in 1936, took place at the...
, whom he married in 1936. Diana was one of Britain's noted Mitford sisters, known for her friendship with Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
.