Mary Theresa Olivia (West) Von Pless (1873 - 1943)

Born 28 Jun 1873 in Ruthin Castle, Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales

Ancestors

Wife of Hans Heinrich von Pless 15th — married 9 Dec 1891 (to 12 Dec 1922) in St Margaret's, Westminster, London, England

Died 29 Jun 1943 at age 70 in Wałbrzych, Poland

Biography

Princess Mary West was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Mary "Daisy" Theresa Olivia West was born on 28 June 1873 at Ruthin Castle, Denbighshire, Wales^[1]. She was the daughter of William Cornwallis West and Mary Adelaide Virginia Eupatoria FitzPatrick.

She was baptised on 30 July 1873 at Denbighshire, Wales^[2].

In the 1881 England Census, Mary T. O. West (aged 7) was recorded in the household of her aunt Georgeiana Peacocke (49) at West Street, Southwick, Hampshire. Also in the household was her only brother George F M West (6), her step-aunt Maud F Peacocke (25), and seven servants^[3].

In the 1891 England Census Mary Theresa Olivia West (aged 17) was recorded at Milford, Hampshire, England^[4]:

At the age of 18 she married Hans Heinrich XV Prinz von Pless on 9 December 1891 at St. Margaret's Church in Westminster, London^[5]. The service was fully choral, and the officiating clergy were the Bishop of St. Asaph, Archdeacon Farrar, and the Rev. R. Wilkinson, Hampshire. She wore a plain Empire robe of white duchess satin, trailed with orange blossoms, hemmed with tulle puffings, and yoked and sleeved with silver gimp, over which fell at train from the shoulders of superb white and silver brocade, patterned with feather-groups tied by "true lovers" knots, and edged on the right with lovely old lace and sprays of the nuptial blossom. A high collar of silver gimp framed her head, and the bodice was cut away slightly at the throat for the pearl collet. She also wore the Pless crown, a spray of diamonds, and other jewels. Mary was accompanied by eight bridesmaids- Miss Sheelagh West (sister of the bride), Lady Mary Sackville and Lady Margaret Sackville (daughters of the Earl and Countess De La Warr), and Miss Madge Brooke (daughter of Mrs. Brooke), cousins of the bride ; Lady Lilian Grosvenor (daughter of Countess Grosvenor), Lady Catherine Beresford (daughter of Lord and Lady Decies), Lady Margaret Hare (daughter of the Earl and Countess of Listowel), and Miss Sylvia Heseltine (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Heseltine). At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Prince and Princess Henry drove to 30, Portman- square, Mrs. Fleetwood Wilson's residence.^[6]

They went on to have three sons.

In the 1901 England Census, H S H Princess Hy of Pless (aged 27) and her husband H S H Prince Henry of Pless (40) were recorded as visitors in the household of her married sister Constance Duchess of Winchester (23) and her husband Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor (22) at Eaton Hall, Eaton, Cheshire. Also in the household were 32 servants^[7].

Daisy was a noted society beauty in the Edwardian period, and a member of one of the wealthiest European noble families. She and her husband Hans Heinrich were the owners of large estates and coal mines in Silesia (Poland) which brought the Hochbergs enormous fortune. Her extravagant lifestyle coupled with disastrous events and political and family scandals were tasty morsels for the international press.

During her marriage Daisy, known in Germany as the Fürstin von Pless, became a social reformer and militated for peace with her friends William II, German Emperor and King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. During World War I she served as a nurse.

She and Hans Heinrich XV Prinz von Pless were divorced on 12 December 1922 at Berlin, Germany.

The Princess maintained her links with English society, appearing with her children in Country Life magazine. She was a Dame of the Order of Theresa of Bavaria and of the Order of Isabella the Catholic of Spain, and was awarded the German Red Cross Decoration.

Her ex-husband Hans Heinrich died on 31 January 1938.

Daisy, Princess of Pless, died on 29 June 1943 at age 70 in relative poverty at Waldenburg, today Wałbrzych, Poland. She was reportedly murdered by the Gestapo, and was buried at Von Hochberg Mausoleum in Książ Castle Grounds, Wałbrzych, Miasto Wałbrzych, Dolnośląskie, Poland^[8].

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XC6-LVW : 1 October 2014), Mary Thereasa O West, 1873; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
2. ↑ Baptism: "Wales, Denbighshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KC5D-16B : 7 September 2023), Mary Theresa Olivia West, 30 Jul 1873, Baptism; from "Parish Records Collection 1538-2005," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Denbighshire, Wales, United Kingdom, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q274-VXFK : Sun Nov 12 00:48:08 UTC 2023), Entry for Georgeiana Peacocke and Maud F Peacocke, 1881.
4. ↑ 1891 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1891", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4QND-TPZ : Thu Jan 11 16:19:00 UTC 2024), Entry for William Cornwallis West M P and Mary Olivia West, 1891.
5. ↑ Marriage: "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DYY-BWD : 13 December 2014), Mary Theresa O West, 1891; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1891, quarter 4, vol. 1A, p. 922, St. George Hanover Square, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
6. ↑ Leicester Daily Post dated 9 December 1891, page 8 (requires subscription to view)
7. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS6F-BWL : 21 May 2019), H S H Princess Pless in household of H S H Prince Pless, Eaton, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Chester Castle subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
8. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/233667841/mary_theresa_olivia-von_hochberg: accessed February 27, 2024), memorial page for Mary Theresa Olivia “Daisy” Cornwallis-West von Hochberg (28 Jun 1873–29 Jun 1943), Find A Grave: Memorial #233667841, citing Von Hochberg Mausoleum in Książ Castle Grounds, Wałbrzych, Miasto Wałbrzych, Dolnośląskie, Poland; Maintained by CMWJR (contributor 50059520).

Se also:

• The Peerage

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy,_Princess_of_Pless