Barbara Abney-Hastings, 13th Countess of Loudoun
Barbara Huddleston Abney-Hastings, 13th Countess of Loudoun (3 July 1919 – 1 November 2002),[1][2] was a Scottish countess in her own right, and a member of the House of Lords. Lady Loudoun was the oldest daughter of Reginald Mowbray Chichester Huddleston and Edith Abney-Hastings, 12th Countess of Loudoun. Her father took her mother's last name. Her only brother, Ian Huddleston Abney-Hastings, styled Lord Mauchline (1918–1944), was killed in Italy in World War II, so as the eldest sister, Barbara succeeded to the earldom in 1960.
The Countess of Loudoun | |
|---|---|
| Countess of Loudoun | |
| In office 24 February 1960 – 1 November 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Edith Abney-Hastings |
| Succeeded by | Michael Abney-Hastings |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 July 1919 |
| Died | 1 November 2002 (aged 83) |
| Spouse(s) | Walter Strickland Lord Gilbert Frederick Greenwood Peter Griffiths |
| Children | 6, including Michael Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun |
| Parents | Edith Abney-Hastings, 12th Countess of Loudoun Reginald Huddleston |
| Relatives | Elizabeth Philipps, Viscountess St Davids (maternal aunt) Norrie MacLaren (nephew) |
Lady Loudoun was a member of the House of Lords until 1999 when the right of hereditary peers to sit in the Lords was abolished. She sat as a cross-bencher, and was concerned with social justice. She lived in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire.
Ancestry
On her mother's side, she was descended from and heir-general of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence. Her other notable ancestors include Mary Tudor, Queen of France; King James IV of Scotland; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley; and Alice Spencer, Countess of Derby.
Marriages and children
Lady Loudoun married three times. She married, firstly, Captain Walter Strickland Lord on 5 September 1939. They had one child:
- Michael Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun (1942–2012)
Her second marriage was on 21 November 1945 to Captain Gilbert Frederick Greenwood. They had two children:
- Lady Selina Mary Greenwood (b. 1946)
- Hon. Frederick James Abney-Hastings (b. 1949)
Her third and final marriage was to Peter Griffiths on 15 September 1954. They had three children:
- Lady Margaret Maud Abney-Hastings (b. 1956)
- Lady Mary Joy Abney-Hastings (b. 1957)
- Lady Clare Louise Abney-Hastings (b. 1958)
On her death she was succeeded by her oldest son.
References
- Staff (3 July 2002). "Birthdays". The Times. London, UK. p. 30.
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Barbara Abney-Hastings, 13th Countess of Loudoun
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Edith Abney-Hastings |
Countess of Loudoun 24 February 1960 – 1 November 2002 |
Succeeded by Michael Abney-Hastings |