A wheel-shaped diamond brooch was the marriage gift of Earl Fitzwilliam. He presented the jewel to Princess Mary. The 20 diamonds set round the wheel is seen in the picture above. It resembles the wheelused in coal mining which was a significant contributor to the family’s wealth. Another jewel was presented to the Princess by the Countess and the Lady Fitzwilliam, a diamond bracelet.
The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam had entertained 2,000 children to tea in the grounds of Wentworth Woodhouse, in celebration of the wedding.
Wentworth was owned by the Marquess of Rockingham till 1782, then passed to William 4th Earl Fitzwilliam, who was the eldest son of the Marquess’ eldest sister who had married the 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam of Milton. It remained in the hands of the Fitzwilliam family until 1989, the death of the 10th Earl. The house & around 90 acres of land, was responsible for much of the early industrial development in the area, establishing numerous mines and factories in the surrounding towns and villages.
This made the family even richer, and by the mid-nineteenth century they were thought to be the 6th wealthiest landowners in the country. They didn’t lose touch with the village though and gave money to establish the Mechanics Institute and the Girl’s School (now Wentworth Church of England School) for the benefit of their tenants. They also built cottages for their workers in Wentworth and Elsecar, most of which exist to this day. |