Cust Family Books

Caroline Mary Cust  from Aunt Elizabeth Cust

Lady Caroline Mary Cust (1819-1898) was the daughter of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow and the second of three wives, Caroline Fludyer. Unmarried, Caroline held the office of Lady-in-Waiting to Grand Duchess of Mecklenberg-Strelitz, a granddaughter of George III. Caroline appears staying at Belton in the 1891 census. She died resident at 2 Hobart Place, London.

Lady Elizabeth Cust (1782-1858), unmarried daughter of Brownlow Cust, 1st Baron Brownlow and younger sister to the 1st Earl Brownlow. 

A talented artist her signature matches her water colour of Charles I below left, NT 433856 and in her sketchbook NT 433901. She produced a catalogue of the paintings within Belton House, The Henry Bankes Collection, Richard Cust Collection and Lord Brownlow Collection. Elizabeth has included comments on the merits of each artist, it covers the period 1805 to 1806 (NT 434758).

Belton's collection contains a substantial amount of Italian-language material, nearly 300 works published between 1500 and 1900, across a variety of genres and subjects. Brundin & Roberts (2015) believe the drive for Italian books came from Sir John Brownlow (later Viscount Tyrconnel) on his Italian tour of 1710–11 and John Cust (later 1st Earl Brownlow) touring with his younger brother, Henry, in the years 1801–2. It is apparent that Italian books, in their original language were enjoyed by the female side of the family. Women would also go on the Grand Tour, maybe Caroline and Aunt Elizabeth did so? 

Another present for the 8-year-old Caroline from her paternal Grandmama, Frances Dowager Countess Brownlow (1756-1847).

Frances was responsible for the 1823 armorial stained glass window in St Peter & Paul church, Belton depicting the Brownlow & Cust coats of arms. Her son Richard, raised the East Window of the church in her memory.

Unmarried, Amelia left a substantial sum of money to Charles and Alice Jones and their daughter residing at 123 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square London in her 1863 Will. This address was that of Rice's Library one of many Victorian circulating libraries. Charles Jones is listed as a bookseller in the 1861 census with Amelia a lodger at 122 Mount Street, next door. A cheesemonger headed her lodgings. Rebuilding in the 1880s has removed any traces. She died in Charles Jones's house at 125 Belsize Road, Hampstead. Amelia's estate amounted to under £12,000 (c. £1 million 2022). The executor was Arthur Perceval Purey-Cust.

Circulating libraries were used primarily by members of the middle and upper classes who had both money and leisure time. Rice's Library offered a subscription lending service and a reading room with daily papers and periodicals (Morning Herald16 April 1824). It also acted as a poste restante.

It is uncertain whether her wealth was for the benefit of the library or the Joneses, who clearly had a caring relationship with her during her short life. Amelia was not the only Cust spinster to end up in lodgings; the financial arrangements made for these family members is unclear.

Amelia Cust (1821-1870)

S.105.52 has this inscription by a 9 year-old Amelia Cust. Complete with illustrations, one presumes the gift was to  help with her French studies. Amelia was another daughter of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow and his second wife, Lady Caroline Fludyer.

Amelia's stepmother was Emma Sophia (née Edgecumbe,1791-1872) who became Earl Brownlow's third wife on 17 July 1828. Emma recalls two weeks later joining her new family of six children! Sophia, Alford and Charles the children of Lord Brownlow's first wife, Caroline, Amelia and Katherine of the second. 

Emma presented at court my daughter Sophia, for whom I gave two balls, and began the life of a chaperon (The eve of Victorianism: reminiscences of the years 1802 to 1834, Brownlow. London J. Murray 1940, NT 3053356).

Amelia kept a diary of her journey to France with her father in 1839 (NT434674).

At the Marchioness of Londonderry's fancy dress ball in 1844 she appeared wearing,

Costume de bal of the period of Louis XIV, composed of a white satin dress, trimmed with gold; an apron of satin, trimmed also with gold; a jacket of emerald green satin, bordered with black velvet and gold; stomacher and belt of jewels. Coiffeur of flowers and ribbons (Morning Herald17 July 1844)

Beatrice Pury (1623-1715)

Beatrice Pury NT 436118 buried in St George's Church, Stamford,

Beatrice Pury, Lady Cust, the heiress of the Purys of Kirton, was the daughter of William Pury and Elizabeth Millett. She married Sir Richard Cust, 1st Baronet Cust, of Stamford, co. Lincoln (1622-1700), son of Samuel Cust and Ann Burrell, on 29 December 1644. She was buried on 7 April 1715 at St George's Church, Stamford, Lincolnshire. 

The book, A Fountain Sealed is by Richard Sibbs an intellectual, intense Puritan much read in New England, North America. The book betrays her allegiances in the English Civil War, her husband fought on the Parliamentary side. Cust had an estate at Kirton in Holland through his marriage to Beatrice, but his main residence (after 1654) was the Blackfriars in Stamford.

She had two children Jane and Sir Pury Cust, whose portrait hangs in the Marble Hall at Belton. His descendants added an 'e' for Purey a few centuries later.

A distant descendant, left, was Marjorie "Peggy" Purey-Cust (1905-1995), John Betjeman's muse. 

To the right is Honoria Purey-Cust (1893-1978), living at Belton Rectory in 1901.

Both have retained the serious demeanour of their ancestor Beatrice.

Strangely there is no portrait recording Caroline Fludyer, Caroline's mother.

Lady Caroline Mary Cust (1819-1898) remained unmarried.

A younger sister, Katherine Cust (1822-1885) went on to marry her maternal cousin, but her 3 daughters never married bringing to an end the Cust/Fludyer progeny.

The Right Honorable Lady Mary Fludyer (1772-1855), to Caroline Mary Cust, S.141.24

This gift to the 1st Earl's daughter from her grandmother, M.F, she the mother  of his second wife Caroline Fludyer (1794-1824). The initials match Mary's signature found on her will. Mary lived in Ayston Hall, Ayston, Rutland. Rebuilt 1805 for her husband George Fludyer MP. After failure of issue by their descendents, the family's surname had died out by 1922. The family  had benefited from government contracts in the North American colonies. Fludyer Street, London was so named after Sir Samuel Fludyer, the ground-landlord, who, when Lord Mayor in 1761, entertained George III. and Queen Charlotte at Guildhall. It lay parallel and immediately south of Downing Street. The Foreign Office was built over the site in 1864-65.

Mary was the daughter of John Fane, 9th Earl of Westmorland of Apethorpe Hall, now pretentiously called Apethorpe Palace.

Countess Caroline Brownlow mother of Caroline Mary Cust has signed a few books. Recent research has identified a lithograph of her and a likely bust.

This book, The Seasons reflects her interest in art (L.19.B.22). Thomson's work was extremely influential, and stimulated works by Joshua Reynolds, John Christopher Smith, Joseph Haydn, Thomas Gainsborough and J. M. W. Turner.