The Scandalous Elopement of Lady Henrietta Watson-Wentworth |

Gentle Readers,
While fans of Bridgerton's fictitious Lady Whistledown wait with bated breath for the next scandal sheet to appear, our very own Researcher, Deb Smith has bravely donned period costume to take a look at a real Georgian scandal sheet from the 1760s - and the shocking true life-story that inspired it.
In 1764, Lady Henrietta Watson-Wentworth, the sister of the owner of Wentworth Woodhouse, the Second Marquess of Rockingham (and soon- to- be Prime Minister), scandalised British Society by marrying her Irish Footman. It was feared that the shock would kill her aged Aunt and caused her horrified brother to carry around the letter announcing the 'elopement' in his pocket for six months. Why did Lady Henrietta break the rules of High Society? What happened to her and her Footman afterwards?
We reveal the answers to these and other questions in this video. But, in a hint to our gentle readers, they need fear no untoward revelations. In accordance with the strict social etiquette of the period, our actors all remain fully clothed- with the possible exception of the aged Aunt."
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