Ladies Who Did More Than Just Lunch – Mrs. Ronald Greville D.B.E.

I was carrying out research on Polesdon Lacey, the magnificent Edwardian house and estate that is to be found in Surrey. The research was for an article on National Trust properties, and my research introduced me to a rather remarkable lady, who was born Margaret Helen Anderson, and by marriage became Mrs. Ronald Greville As you will see below, hers is a quite remarkable tale, and encouraged me to consider writing an intermittent series of blogs and articles centering on ladies of strength and character, who defied the conventions of their respective times and became successful in a male dominated environment.

Having stumbled on Mrs. Greville, it would seem churlish not to start with her story. Her progress through life was not helped by an inauspicious start, being born illegitimately to Helen Anderson and William McEwan in 1863. One important card fell Margaret's way, however, and that was the fact that her father was a multimillionaire, part of the McEwan's brewing family, who still produce beer in Edinburgh today, under the Scottish and Newcastle umbrella.

At the time of Margaret's birth, her mother was still married to her husband, William Anderson, and it was for this reason that young Margaret took the family surname. William Anderson was employed as a porter at the McEwan's brewery, and upon his death in 1885, William McEwan did the honourable deed and married Helen.

It sounds as though William McEwan was far from being an absentee father, and displaying the strength of character and purpose that would mark out her later life, Margaret took more than a passing interest in her father's business. She fully immersed herself in all aspects, and through her own expertise was awarded a seat on the board.

Margaret managed another shrewd move on her path up the social ladder, when, in 1891 at the age of 28, she married the Hon. Ronald Henry Fulke Greville, eldest son of the 2nd Baron Greville (why settle for less!). He is described as “charmingly unambitious” and the strong willed Margaret was able to delightfully control the way that the marriage worked. Through family connections, Margaret or Maggie as she also became known, was introduced to King Edward VII, who together with his favourite, Alice Keppel, was entertained at the Greville's beautiful London home.

Also becoming a close friend of Queen Mary, Maggie was now at the pinnacle of London society. The final piece of the jigsaw was the purchase of Polesdon Lacey with its fabulous South Downs views. When they carried out extension works, the Grevilles ensured that there was an extra suite of rooms for Edward VII.

Tragically, Ronald died prematurely in 1908, and because he predeceased his father, he never ascended to the peerage. They were childless, with suggestions that Maggie had not had children as it would interfere with her socialising. Upon Ronald's death she threw herself into her social life, travelling widely and entertaining lavishly for the best part of the next thirty years. She was created a Dame Commander of The Order of The British Empire in 1922.

She undoubtedly divided opinion, but remained close to royalty, and indeed the future King George VI and his wife, Princess Elizabeth (we know her these days as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother), spent part of their honeymoon at Polesdon Lacey. Whereas, there were those in polite society who found her difficult to like, she was supposedly very faithful to her staff, including a couple of butlers, who were occasionally the worse for wear.

As with many other like minded people, Maggie unfortunately became obsessed with Nazism, and sought and gained an audience with Hitler, which left her, according to reports as “delighted”. This did however serve to make her less popular. Her last appearance in society was as she was recovering from pneumonia, and not to be deterred she was transported up the stairs in a wheelchair, being described in reports as “an august presence”.

She died in September 1942, appropriately at the Dorchester Hotel, and is buried at her beloved Polesdon Lacey. In her will which was valued at about £1.5 million, she left the majority of her jewellery to The Queen Mother, plus a sum of £20,000 to Princess Margaret. In visiting the house, which is now in the care of the National Trust, you are surrounded by mementos of her life, together with many of the items that she purchased on her travels.

The present Duchess of Cornwall (formerly Camilla Parker-Bowles) has been seen wearing the Greville tiara and diamond necklace that was part of the gift to the Queen Mother, and so Maggie still lives on.

Maggie will be remembered as a faithful friend to those that she accepted, with less appreciative people calling her snobbish, vulgar, shrewd and extremely rich. What cannot be denied however, is that despite her unfortunate start in life, Maggie took full advantage of the important cards that fell her way, and through her own determination and strength of character, made a success of her life. Find time, if you can, to visit Polesdon Lacey, because her character is still deeply embedded in the house.