Romance, scandal, and divorce in the Madras Presidency

A tweet sent me down a path of reading old English records about contested divorce proceedings, scandal (and also romance) in the Madras Presidency in the 1800s. For a long time, matrimonial disputes in England were dealt with by religious courts. Even after the law changed and special courts were created to deal with them, securing an order of divorce was always a challenge, given the deeply religious sentiments behind marriage. To win a divorce suit, you had to shock the court. Two cases succeeded in doing that. I have used archived newspapers as well as accounts online, including that of V Sriram (Madras Musings) to write this article. A consolidated list of sources is mentioned at the end of the article. .Napier and Besant We have to go back to the 1800s. The British have made themselves comfortable in India. Isabella Hardie was the wife of Johnstone Napier, a colonel in the service of the East India Company. They had married each other in January 1822 in Bombay. In 1838, Isabella left her home along with her six-year-old child and ayah and went to the house of Edward Francis Elliot, the Chief Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Madras.The Presidency was perplexed. The Napiers had children together, and a happy marriage lasting over 15 years. What prompted Isabella to take this extreme step – to leave her protected home in a carriage drawn by an Indian man to the house of a government servant bachelor who was then living in Adyar. Burning with embarrassment, Johnstone Napier filed two suits in the Supreme Court of Madras. One against Edward alleging trespass, and another against Isabella seeking divorce.This was not the first time an angry married man had taken Edward to court. Edward had a torrid affair with Margarita Aston, wife of Colonel Harvey Aston in 1816. Secret meetings with Margarita in France, clandestine kisses, and many love letters later, he found himself as a defendant in a case filed by a fuming Aston for “criminal conversation” where he sued Edward for a sum of £10,000 for engaging in adultery with his wife. Testimonies of servants who had seen the two of them in compromising positions and letters where Edward had asked Aston to leave her husband were all produced in a very crowded court, as the Astons and Elliots were very famous. After a tumultuous affair and a rather successful court verdict where he had to pay (only) £100 as damages to Aston, Edward Francis Elliot found himself in Madras and fell for another married woman.In the divorce proceedings between the Napiers, Johnstone was able to establish that Isabella had left him, and was living with Edward. The servants who were asked to testify could not say with certainty if Edward and Isabella were intimate. Isabella’s lawyers were also effective in pointing out that while Edward and her were living together, they always called each other “Mrs. Napier” and “Mr. Elliot” and behaved only as ordinary friends in the company of other people. This is why the fact that Edward and Isabella had a child a few weeks before the trial started was the nail in the coffin. Here is an extract of the witness testimony of Isabella’s faithful French maid. .Isabella was found in the trial of “being of a lewd and vicious temper and inclination looking for a person of loose morals.” Johnstone won both the suits in 1838. Edward had to pay Rs. 25,000/- in damages to Johnstone. Edward and Isabella were forbidden from marrying each other. However, since Edward’s family was also influential, they managed to get over this catch and married each other in 1839. Connemara and Connemara How did a district in western Ireland end up as the name of famous landmarks in Chennai – for a library and a hotel?Lord Connemara was enjoying the success of a fruitful career as the Governor of the Madras Presidency from 1886 to 1890. By all accounts, Lord Connemara was a good administrator. He was actively involved in infrastructure issues in the city and also founded the famous library in Chennai, now named after him. The construction of the Madras High Court also started during his tenure. However, his personal life was rocked by a public scandal, that forced him to leave politics and eventually the Madras Presidency. Susan Georgiana married Robert Bourke, who would go on to become Lord Connemara, in November 1863. In 1886, Mr. Bourke was appointed the Governor of Madras and they moved to India. From 1875, Lady Connemara suffered multiple health ailments. Lady Connemara also had to see a servant of eight years, Hannah Moore, leave her employment in 1887. In 1888, she had to endure the constant irritating company of Lord Connemara’s niece – Lady Eva Quin of whom her husband was more than just politely fond. In 1888 and still struggling with her health but in a much cooler Ooty, she realised that there was a party taking place in her absence, at the Government House in Madras. She reached Madras silently and efficiently just before the party. Some accounts say Lord Connemara and Lady Quin were in a relationship, other accounts say Lord Connemara was promiscuous with a servant when she saw him. Lady Connemara realised she was being replaced in every sense as mistress of the house and wife of Lord Connemara. She drew up an agreement with conditions about how their life ought to be, telling Lord Connemara that she would leave if he did not agree to it. Lord Connemara did not sign it, and Lady Connemara left for a hotel where she stayed for eight days. Dr Briggs who was Lord Connemara’s medical advisor accompanied her and dropped her at the hotel. After much cajoling and pleading by British officers and their spouses, Lady Connemara returned to the Government House. However, this did not last for long. She left Government House for the last time and went to a hotel called The Albany where she stayed for many months. Thanks to the wonder that is the digitisation of records, we can even read the letter Lord Connemara wrote to his wife on 1 January 1889..And Lady Connemara’s reply..She left for England in March 1889 and initiated divorce proceedings against Lord Connemara. She filed a suit where she sought divorce under the ground of cruelty as he had passed to her a sexually transmitted disease, and adultery as he had sexual relations with women outside the marriage. In Court, Lady Connemara spoke in detail about her unhappy marriage and the chronology of her illness. She said that Lord Connemara had advised her to take medication when she initially complained about her illness, which she claimed was to her detriment. In 1879, Lady Connemara had returned from a trip to Turkey and was suffering from a bad tongue. Subsequently, she also suffered from hair loss and a sore tongue and this would be a recurring issue. Hannan Moore, Lady Connemara’s former servant, was also a witness in the case and had given her statement in writing to the Court. She informed the Court that Lord Connemara had sexual relations with her in 1887. She had consulted Dr Briggs about it. Dr Briggs was the “medical gentleman” who had been appointed to the staff of the government of Madras and was a medical adviser to the staff at the Government House. He was chosen by Lord Connemara. Dr Briggs was also a witness in this suit and confirmed that Hannah Moore had consulted with him. Dr Briggs went on to say that Lord Connemara also told him about his sexual relations with Hannah Moore, who became pregnant, and Lord Connemara told him that he wanted the matter hushed up. Hannah Moore was made to leave Madras after that. An interesting point to note is that Lord Connemara had alleged that Lady Connemara and Dr Briggs were having an extramarital relationship. Both of them firmly denied it during the trial. Other doctors who had treated Lady Connemara also gave their testimony, and confirmed that they had treated Lady Connemara for "syphilis of the tongue." As Lady Connemara's lawyers sought to produce more evidence, the judge presiding over the matter - Sir J Hannen - informed them that it was not required and that the Court already had plenty of evidence that did not contradict itself. The judge also noted that Lord Connemara was aware of the proceedings, but had chosen not to appear in Court. On November 27, 1890, Lady Connemara was granted a divorce dissolving her marriage with Lord Connemara under counts of both adultery and cruelty.With this, Lord Connemara’s political career also came to a swift end. Lord Connemara returned to England and married a widow with an enviable fortune. Lady Connemara, or should I say, Lady Susan Georgina Bourke, married Dr Briggs in 1894. The Hotel Albany changed hands in 1890. It was re-christened The Connemara. Most believe it was to facilitate Lord Connemara for his achievements as Governor of the Madras Presidency. Others believe it is a nod to the lady who defied English society and lived in a hotel in a foreign country for many months, before going back home and filing a suit against her husband, which she proceeded to win. And marrying the man who testified for her. The bar in the Taj Connemara is called Lady Connemara. Their signature cocktail - Since 1891 - is supposed to be a testament to her stay in the hotel, and her last months in this city which she disliked with a man she despised. Sources Napier- ElliotHistorical GleaningsOf Mrs. Napier and Mr. Elliotby Sriram VThe Scandalous Regency Era Criminal Conversation Case of Aston v. Elliotby Mimi MatthewsMinutes of Evidence Connemara - Connemara Madras MusingsExeter Flying Post - November 29, 1890 - SaturdayReynold's Newspaper - November 30, 1890 SundayLLyod's Weekly Paper - November 30, 1890 TroveGroup PhotoConnemara achievements

Romance, scandal, and divorce in the Madras Presidency

Related Stories