Theodora Guest

Lady Theodora Guest; Theodora Grosvenor; Lady Theodora Grosvenor (July 7, 1840 – March 24, 1924) was a British author, anti-suffragist, collector and benefactor. In 1913 she sold the 15th century Braque Triptych to the Louvre. Life Guest was born in 1840 in Grosvenor Square in London. Her parents were Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster and Lady Elizabeth (born Leveson-Gower). They were very rich and also very generous benefactors. They had thirteen children, ten of whom survived to be adults. Her brother Hugh Lupus Grosvenor succeeded her father as 3rd Marquess; he was later created Duke of Westminster. Her brother Lord Richard Grosvenor became Baron Stalbridge. Her magazine writing lead on to Motcombe Past and Present in 1867 and her enthusiastic Christianity and study was demonstrated in her 1873 book Simple Thoughts on Bible Truths. During this time her father died and left her estates in Dorset and Wiltshire. He had also left her with the obligation to shoulder the responsibility of this endowment and in 1872 she founded the Hunt Servants Benefit Society. Her mother bought land in 1874 and had Barcote Manor built for her at Buckland, but Guest married and went to live in Somerset after the birth of their child in 1879. Her husband was Thomas Merthyr Guest, their only daughter was Elizabeth Augusta and they lived at Inwood House at Henstridge.