Lord and Lady Kenlis

A carte-de-visite portrait of Lady Alice Maria Hill, daughter the 4th Marquess of Downshire, and her husband Tom Tayleur, Lord Kenlis, on their wedding day. The photograph was taken at Hillsborough Castle in County Down.

The couple were married on 9 October 1867 in Hillsborough Parish Church. At the time of his marriage the groom was Lord Kenlis and his father was using the courtesy title Earl of Bective. When the groom's grandfather, the 2nd Marquess of Headfort, died in 1870, the groom's father became the 3rd Marquess of Headfort and the groom assumed the courtesy title Earl of Bective but as he died in 1893, a year before his father, he never succeeded to the marquisate.

'The marriage of Lady Alice Hill, daughter of the Marquis of Downshire, with Lord Kenlis, son of the Earl of Bective, and grandson of the Marquis of Headfort, took place on Wednesday, in Hillsborough Parish Church. The event excited general interest in Hillsborough, where the bride is much esteemed, and the Downshire tenantry turned out in large numbers to testify their respect. The interior of the the church was handsomely and effectively decorated. The wedding party arrived about one o'clock, and were very warmly received. [...] The bride was given away by the Marquis of Downshire. The bridesmaids were the Ladies Tayleur (sisters of Lord Kenlis), Miss Hood, and the Misses Treherne. The groomsman was Mr Tufton. The breakfast was provided at Hillsborough Castle. During the day the bride and groom left for Shane's Castle. Some most beautiful and costly wedding-gifts have been presented by the tenantry on the different estates' (Belfast Morning News, 11 October 1867).

The Countess of Bective died, aged 86, at her home in London, 29 Eaton Place, on 25 February 1928. She was buried beside her husband in the parish churchyard at Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria. She left effects valued at £4689.

Photographed by Marcus Ward and Co of Belfast.