Lady Phyllis Hervey, later Lady Phyllis MacRae (1899-1990)
William Edwards Miller (fl.1873 – after 1929)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1908 (signed and dated)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1765 x 1130 mm (69 1/2 x 44 1/2 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Ickworth, Suffolk
NT 851754
Caption
The sitter was the youngest daughter of 4th Marquess of Bristol. She was born in Malta where her father was stationed. In 1921 she married Captain Duncan MacRae of the Seaforth Highlanders. When her father died in 1951 she took over the running of the Ickworth estate, then moved back to Ickworth Lodge when her cousin Victor moved into the main House. When she died Lady Phyllis had 8 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Lady Phyllis Hervey, later Lady Phyllis MacRae (1899-1990) by William Edwards Miller (fl.1873 – after 1929), signed and dated bottom left: W.E.Miller / 1908. A full-length portrait as a young girl, aged 8/9, turned slightly to the left, gazing at the spectator, wearing a short white dress with turquoise sash, brown shoes, fair hair with a fringe and falling on her shoulders. She holds a small posy of roses in right hand. She stands before background of tapestry above panelled dado with large blue and white chinese vase on the floor to the right. Lady Phyllis Hervey (1899-1990) was the daughter of Frederick William Fane Hervey, 4th Marquess of Bristol (1863-1951) and Alice Frances Theodora Wythes. She was born 30 November 1899 in Malta where her father was stationed. She moved to Ickworth Lodge in 1901 and into the main house in 1903. In 1921 she married Captain Duncan MacRae of the Seaforth Highlanders and spent six months in India with him before he left the army. She lived at Newark, then in 1930 moved to Bures. During World War II Lady Phyllis was an officer in the Auxiliary Territorial Army (Service). When her father died in 1951 she took over the running of the Ickworth estate, then moved back to Ickworth Lodge when her cousin Victor moved into the main House. The Lodge was divided into two so her sister Majorie could live there as well. After Majorie's death in 1961, Lady Phyllis moved to Barrow and expanded her farming interests, running the MacRae estates with her daughter Mary. Lady Phyllis was president of the Suffolk Agricultural Association Show before it bought its permanent site near Ipswich. She often flew to Texas to buy and sell animals and was interested in Charolais cattle. Her daughter Merelina Mary Phyllis MacRae was chairman of the Suffolk County Council. Her other daughter Jean Margaret MacRae, became Countess of Northesk and her son John Duncan Hervey MacRae lived in Scotland. When she died in 1990 Lady Phyllis had 8 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.
Provenance
Commissioned from the artist by Frederick William, 4th Marquess of Bristol (1863-1951); accepted in lieu of tax by HM Treasury, and transferred to the National Trust in 1956
Credit line
Ickworth, The Bristol Collection (acquired through the National Land Fund and transferred to The National Trust in 1956)
Makers and roles
William Edwards Miller (fl.1873 – after 1929), artist