Elizabeth Herbert, Baroness Herbert Of Lea

Mary Elizabeth Herbert, Baroness Herbert of Lea (née Ashe à Court-Repington), was born on 21 July 1822 in Richmond, Surrey, England, and died on 30 October 1911 in London. She was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth Gibbs, who was the granddaughter of a West Indies planter, and Charles Ashe à Court-Repington. She was married in August 1846 to Sidney Herbert, the second son of the 11th Earl of Pembroke, a politician. Elizabeth Herbert was known for her involvement in writing, translation, philanthropy, and social affairs.

Herbert and her husband first met Florence Nightingale during travels in Italy in 1848. Following Sidney Herbert’s appointment as Secretary at War during the Crimean War, Elizabeth Herbert became a supporter and confidante of Nightingale. They established a close friendship, sharing a commitment to nursing and charitable work. Elizabeth Herbert assisted in recruiting nurses for the war effort, with interviews conducted at their residence in Belgrave Square.

Sidney Herbert was created Baron Herbert of Lea before his death in 1861, after which Elizabeth Herbert became a widow with three daughters and four sons. In 1866, she converted to Roman Catholicism in Palermo under the influence of Cardinal Manning, although she delayed her formal conversion earlier due to familial opposition. Only her eldest daughter, Mary, followed her into the Catholic faith; Mary later married Friedrich von Hügel.

Herbert was actively involved in Catholic charitable initiatives. She collaborated with Cardinal Vaughan on the establishment of St Joseph's Foreign Missionary College at Mill Hill Park, London, which opened in 1869. She dedicated much of her later life to supporting religious and educational causes associated with the Catholic Church. She was laid to rest at Mill Hill alongside Vaughan, with her tomb bearing the inscription, "The Mother of the Mill."

As a social figure, Herbert resided at Number 49 in Belgrave Square, which she named "Belgrave Villa." She maintained connections with prominent Victorian figures, including politicians such as Disraeli, Palmerston, and Gladstone, as well as reformers like Florence Nightingale. She was acquainted with leaders of the Roman Catholic revival, including Cardinal Newman, Vaughan, and Manning. Disraeli depicted her as Lady Chiselhurst in his novel, *The Old Order Changes*, and she appears as Lady St Jerome in Disraeli's *Lothair*. Disraeli also remarked on her conversion to Catholicism, noting her enthusiastic faith and her active efforts to promote the Catholic cause.

Her literary works include *Impressions of Spain in 1866* (1867), *Cradle Lands* (1867), *Wives and Mothers of the Olden Time* (1871), *A Search After Sunshine, or Algeria in 1871* (1872), *Wayside Tales* (1880), and an autobiographical novel titled *Edith*. She also authored articles, many published in the Dublin Review, and biographical essays on religious figures. These biographies, often translated from French, included works on saints and religious leaders such as St. Monica, St. John Baptist de Rossi, Bishop Félix Dupanloup, and Garcia Moreno, among others.

Her family included seven children with Lord Herbert of Lea. Their children were:

- George Robert Charles Herbert (1850–1895), who succeeded his father as the 13th Earl of Pembroke.

- Sidney Herbert (1853–1913), who succeeded his brother as the 14th Earl of Pembroke.

- William Reginald Herbert (b. 1854), who was lost at sea in 1870 aboard HMS Captain.

- Michael Henry Herbert (1857–1904), a diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States.

- Mary Catherine (b. 1849), married Baron Friedrich von Hügel.

- Elizabeth Maud (b. 1851), married Sir Charles Hubert Parry.

- Constance Gladwys (b. 1859), married twice and was a patroness of the arts.

Herberts' lineage connected to notable families, including the à Court-Repington and the Earls of Pembroke.