Wedlock The True Story of the Disastrous Marriage and Remarkable Divorce of Mary Eleanor Bowes, C...
With the death of her fabulously wealthy coal magnate father when she was just eleven, Mary Eleanor Bowes became the richest heiress in Britain. An...
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Apr 20, 2011
Hannah
rated it: 
WOW
THIS book is the perfect example of why I love historical non-fiction. Based on well researched and documented sources, author Wendy Moore has penned an incredible, almost-defies-belief account of the life of Mary Eleanor Bowes, an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II (via the late Queen Mother). Just how well researched and documented can be attested by the 40 plus pages of meticulous end notes found at the end of the book. Wedlock is, quite simply, one of the most riveting books I More...
THIS book is the perfect example of why I love historical non-fiction. Based on well researched and documented sources, author Wendy Moore has penned an incredible, almost-defies-belief account of the life of Mary Eleanor Bowes, an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II (via the late Queen Mother). Just how well researched and documented can be attested by the 40 plus pages of meticulous end notes found at the end of the book. Wedlock is, quite simply, one of the most riveting books I More...
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Mar 11, 2011
Merry
rated it: 
If you want a 400 page documentary on why you are lucky not to live in Georgian times, then Wedlock: How Georgian Britain’s Worst Husband Met His Match is probably it. You’d have to be having a bad life indeed not to feel you got off lightly compared to Mary Eleanor Bowes.
Wedlock is a factual account of the life of the Countess of Strathmore, ancestor of our ‘Queen Mother’ – the Strathmore surname was Lyon and subsequent generations amalgamated the two names, for reasons which become a More...
Wedlock is a factual account of the life of the Countess of Strathmore, ancestor of our ‘Queen Mother’ – the Strathmore surname was Lyon and subsequent generations amalgamated the two names, for reasons which become a More...
Feb 14, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
A rare burst of non-fiction.
This book tells the story of Mary Eleanor Bowes, a woman of the seventeenth century, who was the wealthiest heiress in England, and possibly in Europe. At one point a certain Capt Stoney defends her honour in a duel, and she is assured by multiple medical men that he is about to die. His dying wish is to marry her, and in a burst of romance, she does so. Hours after the ceremony, he miraculously recovers.
He then starts to spend her money with a ven More...
This book tells the story of Mary Eleanor Bowes, a woman of the seventeenth century, who was the wealthiest heiress in England, and possibly in Europe. At one point a certain Capt Stoney defends her honour in a duel, and she is assured by multiple medical men that he is about to die. His dying wish is to marry her, and in a burst of romance, she does so. Hours after the ceremony, he miraculously recovers.
He then starts to spend her money with a ven More...
Apr 12, 2010
June
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Mar 18, 2010
Deirdre
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Mary Eleanor Bowes was a lucky girl. An only child, she was indulged and educated but was also an heiress. Her first marriage wasn't really much, Lord Strathmore or John Lyon, wasn't really a good match, he didn't really approve of her botanical studies (though he didn't stop her); and he was a little jealous of the wealth she brought into the relationship, along with stipulations. In 18th Century England a woman owned nothing, it was the males in her life that owned things, she was completel
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(2 people liked it)
Jan 19, 2012
Lisa (scarlet21)
rated it: 
An interesting and fascinating insight into marriage, life and love in the Georgian era, where the majority of the upper and middle classes married for money and bloodline and where most women had no say whatsoever in how their lives were run. At a time when mistresses and illigitimate offspring were accepted by spouses, though sometimes hidden away, women were owned by their menfolk and the rule of thumb was law; this is a story that will resonate with modern horror stories of spousal abuse bu
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Aug 13, 2009
Jean
rated it:
Excellent book set in the 1770's in England. A reminder that women previously had zero rights afforded to them by law during that time. Mary Eleanor Bowes was a wealthy woman who was swindled into marrying a lowly military officer, Richard Stoney. Once married, everything she owned became his to do with as he pleased. Over the course of eight years, he squandered all of her money on gambling, prostitutes; kept her as a prisoner, and beat her savagely on a regular basis. This was actually allowed
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Jul 31, 2011
Holly
rated it:
I found this book absolutely fascinating! How one woman's world can turn from a life of decandance and indulgence to one of fear and violence in the space of a few short days, how one person can be so manipulative and evil to lure this woman from one world to the next and how she managed to free herself of his torment made for a great read. If this wasn't a true story, it would be hard to believe, but Wendy Moore writes in such a way that the reader feels nothing but sympathy for the protagonist
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May 20, 2010
Hilary
rated it:
Subtitled: How Georgian Britain’s worst husband met his match, and rightly so. What an incredible story. When Britain’s wealthiest heiress, Mary Eleanor Bowes, was tricked into marriage by Andrew Robinson Stoney, little did she know what she was letting herself in for. Once he had got his hands on her money she was beaten, abused and locked up for 8 years before she made her escape. It was a further 4 years before she successfully sued for restitution of her pre-nuptial rights and a divorce, but
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Dec 15, 2010
Valerie
rated it: 
I love history, especially high profile characters and their crazy true lives. The subject of this book was great. I felt that the author did a lot of research and knew the subject very well. I learned a lot about the time. I am also reading "vanity fair" which takes place in this time.
Eventually I got a bit tired of the whole "women had no rights!!!" mantra. I mean, it was true, and that was bad, but do we have to say it on every page?
I felt that More...
Eventually I got a bit tired of the whole "women had no rights!!!" mantra. I mean, it was true, and that was bad, but do we have to say it on every page?
I felt that More...
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Mar 10, 2011
Deborah
rated it:
This book suffers from being nominated as a TV Book Club choice and therefore readers are expecting a read with some plot and pace. This book is not that - it is definitely a piece of well-researched historical fiction and so the actual plot takes two thirds of the book to get going. For people who are particularly interested in the Georgian period, this is a book you will want to keep to refer to often. Amply footnoted, the amount of evidence Moore has amassed is staggering, but it does not mak
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Jul 23, 2011
Zoella
rated it:
Impressive research and execution. I had a few late nights with this one, I just has to find out what happened to Mary Eleanor! I learnt a lot about the period but, at times, there was just too much history and the driving force of the novel, the human element, was lost. I skipped 4 pages towards the end: the ones containing information about divorce in Georgian Britain - many of these had already been covered and so I felt the writer was repeating herself and detracting from the real story. Oth
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Apr 22, 2010
Fence
rated it:
Mary Eleanor Bowes was born in 1749. Her father was extremely wealthy and, unusually for the time, had her well educated. A most eligible young woman, not least because she was the richest heiress in C18th Britain. Her first wedding was nothing unusual for the time. Pretty loveless and to an older man it wasn’t a romantic love match. Her second, to a dashing young soldier, was. Mary Eleanor probably hadn’t intended to marry Andrew Robinson Stoney, but upon hearing that he had fought a duel for h
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Apr 29, 2009
Lisa
rated it:
This story is bound to make any feminist--or any ration thinking person--angry. The story is about the Countess of Strathmore, a wealthy widow who was duped into marriage to a man who beat her, humiliated her, starved her and isolated her from her loved ones. With the help of some faithful servants, she escaped him, but the ensuing divorce hearing went on for years. It makes me angry to see how thoroughly men owned their wives back in those days, and how hard it was for women to leave bad situat
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Oct 13, 2009
Jodi
rated it:
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Jul 03, 2010
Sara
rated it:
I bought this because I enjoy stories of Georgian times (back when men were men, wore breeches and carried swords!) It begins with a marriage carried out in seemingly tragically romantic circumstances, a dying Irish hero and his aristocratic English lady. What follows (because our Irish hero isn't quite dead after all) is a desperate tale of suffering, destitution, domestic violence and various other ills. It's gripping stuff, however. There are some background-giving lulls which are forgivable
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Nov 24, 2011
Lushbug
rated it:
A very interesting book charting one woman’s life in 18th century England. For a non fiction book it isn’t heavy going and its a proper page turner!
Andrew Stoney (husband number 2) is the most vile, unrepentant pig ever and I wish he wasn’t dead so I could slap him!
Poor Mary makes two bad marriage choices in her life and its amazing to me how little rights she had once married. Men were allowed to beat and rape their wives and took full ownership of all their property leaving woma More...
Andrew Stoney (husband number 2) is the most vile, unrepentant pig ever and I wish he wasn’t dead so I could slap him!
Poor Mary makes two bad marriage choices in her life and its amazing to me how little rights she had once married. Men were allowed to beat and rape their wives and took full ownership of all their property leaving woma More...
Feb 21, 2011
Melanie
rated it:
It read like fiction. A story with deceit, violence, kidnapping and attempted murder with the added bonus that it all really happened. At times it almost felt like an adventure story, but at the same time the author treated her subject with dignity and respect. Very well researched and certainly worth a read.
My niggle: The digressions into the plant-collecting trip to South Africa did not really contribute to the story and felt like unnecessary padding. Although in themselves the exce More...
My niggle: The digressions into the plant-collecting trip to South Africa did not really contribute to the story and felt like unnecessary padding. Although in themselves the exce More...
Jul 27, 2010
Donna
rated it:
It took me some time to read this book for 3 reasons:
1- It didn't grab me in the very beginning
2- It's summer. I am always tired and lazy
3- I was reading 4 books at once.
After all that I started to get into it and dedicated more time into reading it. I feel that it was a good read and a nice change. It shows you had it really was in the 1700's. I just couldn't believe the maddness and the choas it all became. Stoney was just an unbearable human bei More...
1- It didn't grab me in the very beginning
2- It's summer. I am always tired and lazy
3- I was reading 4 books at once.
After all that I started to get into it and dedicated more time into reading it. I feel that it was a good read and a nice change. It shows you had it really was in the 1700's. I just couldn't believe the maddness and the choas it all became. Stoney was just an unbearable human bei More...
Apr 30, 2010
Jess
rated it:
Loved this book!
I don't normally like biographies but this one is engagingly written. It goes into some of the history and atmosphere of both the North East of England, around Durham and Newcastle, and that of London in the mid 18th Century. Covering the interplay between rich industrial families and the aristocracy it also provides insights into the role and rights of women in Georgian England. It has enough legalese and depth to be interesting but not enough to be too heavy a read
I don't normally like biographies but this one is engagingly written. It goes into some of the history and atmosphere of both the North East of England, around Durham and Newcastle, and that of London in the mid 18th Century. Covering the interplay between rich industrial families and the aristocracy it also provides insights into the role and rights of women in Georgian England. It has enough legalese and depth to be interesting but not enough to be too heavy a read
Sep 25, 2010
Reader, I Read It
rated it:
If you are looking for something different read away from trashy novels and soppy romances then this is the book for you. Wedlock is the true story of the girl who had everything, wealth, looks, personality and a family who doted on her. After an unsuccessful first marriage Mary Eleanor Bowes fell into the trap of a dashing young solider called Andrew Robinson Stony who married her for her fortune and was determined to make her life more than a misery.
Moore's account of this interes More...
Moore's account of this interes More...
Dec 09, 2010
Andy
rated it:
An extraordinary book utterly gripping. I'm glad I read it during the Easter break because I couldn't put it down. Wendy Moore deftly weaves together this tale of greed manipulation and abuse in a way which makes it as easy to read as the best novels. All the time I wanted to be transported back to the 18th Century so that I could give Mary Eleanor's evil husband a punch on the nose (at least). I shall now be seeking out her first book The Knife Man.
Aug 08, 2011
Rattled through this one as the story is SUCH a winner! The absolute depravity of this foul man makes a rollicking good read and it was fabulous that he got his just deserts through the sheer bloody-minded of a strong woman fighting against all odds in a time when women's right simply didn't exist. Closed the cover and immediately recommended it to a friend and thoroughly expect it to do the rounds of all the girls.
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Dec 08, 2010
JackieB
rated it:
If this was in a novel I would think it was ridiculously over the top. However here it is with all the evidence annotated and footnoted. After the first couple of chapters I ignored all of that however and just read the main text. It was a little bit slow in the middle (which cost it the fifth star) but on the whole I enjoyed it and I'll probably read the other biography Wendy Moore has written as well.
Nov 07, 2011
Donna
rated it:
As a woman, this is the kind of book that makes you glad you're alive now, and appalled by the inequality that those before us suffered through.
This is a truly remarkable tale of survival - the story in Mary Eleanor, Countess od Strathmore, who was tricked into marrying a monster. Written in a clear voice with the dramatic balancing the factual, this is a captivating biography that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
This is a truly remarkable tale of survival - the story in Mary Eleanor, Countess od Strathmore, who was tricked into marrying a monster. Written in a clear voice with the dramatic balancing the factual, this is a captivating biography that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
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Apr 14, 2011
Hayley
rated it:
This gripping biography tells the story of Mary Eleanor Bowes, the richest heir in Georgian Britain and how she is conned into marrying a man who spends the next ten years making her life a living hell.
This biography reads like a novel at times and is thoroughly researched. I loved it and will be adding Wendy Moore's other biography to my reading list.
This biography reads like a novel at times and is thoroughly researched. I loved it and will be adding Wendy Moore's other biography to my reading list.
May 24, 2010
Ellen
rated it: 
I couldn't finish this. I didn't like any of the people, didn't care about the mass amount of back story and got lost in the plethora of names. I am a touch interested in how she gets out of the horrid marriage (which is why I read as much as I did) but it just kept going on and on about how horrid the marriage was. Not worth the time.
Mar 13, 2010
patricia
rated it:
Oh my, what a read. A must for all women. The story of Mary Eleanor's struggle against a vile husband and the archaic laws of the 1700's is really unbelievable, I think, for modern day women. It was a "can not put down" book for me. Ms. Moore has done a remarkable job of reasearching Lady Strathmore's life story. GOODREAD.
May 20, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
This book was enthralling from beginning to end. The story of the awful marriage of Lady Strathmore to Andrew Stoney is almost too unbelievable. If the author clearly hadn't done her research well I wouldn't have thought it could be true. I was unaware that Georgian society was so completely without morals. Husbands cheating on wives and vice versa was basically everyday life for the aristocrats. So when Mary Eleanor Bowes first saw these things in her husband is was no surprise. Too bad he had
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Sep 09, 2010
Vivienne
rated it:
This recounts another tale of the scandalous 18th century through the story of Mary Eleanor Bowes' disastrous second marriage, which really underlines the truth of that old adage 'marry in haste, repent in leisure'. In 18th century Britain this was even more so as divorce was pretty much impossible and women's rights just did not exist.
The cover did promise that Wedlock read like a novel and I certainly agree with this. Wendy Moore's research is very solid and she was granted a More...
