VITTORIA COLONNA

Vittoria Colonna below, born 29th November 1880 in London. Sister Isabella Colonna born 12th Feb 1879 died 20th March 1957, Isabella married to Angelo Ansano Chigi Zondadari. Vittoria's brother Stefano Calonna born at Oxborough Hall 17th Dec 1884 died 2nd March 1885 buried in Merton Church yard, along side Vittoria. Vittoria Colonna Duchess of Sermoneta, Also Princess of Teano, title through the marriage on the 20th June 1901 to Leone Caetani Duca Di Sermoneta, 6 Principe Dei Teano. who died in 1935. They had one son Onorato Caetani 24/4/1902 – 21/12/1946 died aged 44yrs (Onorato had a physical and mental illness) after his death, there ended the CAETANI line. Vittoria the daughter of the below. Teresa Carraciolo born 5th Nov 1855, married Marcantonio Colonna 8th May 1875, Teresa the daughter of Luigi Duc de Santo Teodoro and Augusta Selina Elizabeth Locke, (known as LEILA LOCK.) Married AUG 1854 Divorced 1876. Selina later married her third husband, Thomas Degrey 6th Baron Walsingham March 1877, this was to be Thomas's 1st marriage of three. Vittoria Colonna Described when not long married, Certainly knows how to live, she was the reigning beauty of Rome, Surrounded by aristocratic admirers, No Party, Great Ball or Gala dinner was considered complete without her presents. Vittoria also had a fine sense of humour, which made her secretly laugh at many of the follies that others took seriously. During her life has gone out of her way to find that of which is so interesting. An energetic in pleasure and work. Some of her interests being Art and Literature, a great lover of sport a friend and helper to the great actress, DUSE. Her friend writes " I have found her memoirs to be full of matter, It contains among many good things, one pricless story, Which and when ever I think of it I begin to laugh, The incident happened in England, That is all I can say. She has not only led me to Water she has persuaded me to drink."( Robert Hichens.) Vittoria Colonna died on the 17th November 1954.  Her last resting place is NOT shown in the picture below, however  is shown at the bottom of this page, buried next to her brother Stefano, Stefano Colonna died 2/2/1885 grave (A) Selina Locke who died February 1893, grave (B). Augusta Selina Elizabeth Locke died 4th Nov 1906, grave (C)

...Mystery Picture...

Some years ago, Frank Ives made contact with me after viewing this web site. Frank had various pictures that were handed down through his family, Frank believed them to be taken at Merton and asked if I could Identify them, after viewing the pictures it became certain that these pictures were indeed taken at Merton.
One of the pictures ( shown right) became a challenge, not of where it was taken, which seemed an easy solution, but who were the people in the picture. After some in-depth research, I felt that the two girls were Vittoria and her sister Isabella. I feel that the picture shows Isabella left, Vittoria right along with Amos Carrier far right....
After reading some of the memoirs of Vittoria, I found that of which would almost certainly answer the puzzle. Below some of which she wrote.

Vittoria, The Childhood.
Recollections & Grateful thoughts go to in the English country  life,  at Merton. Lord Walsingham  or "W"  as we called him, was all kindness to us children from Rome, his nickname for us would be "Toddlemites".  Treating us exactly as though we were his own grandchildren.
His old coachman AMOS CARRIER, gave us our first riding lessons on  MERRYLEGS & SNOWDROP, these two ponies Lord Walsingham had purchased for our own use. W Had a unfailing good temper, his ready jokes, his cleverness along with agility at all games made him an ideal playmate for children..

"It is with reverence that my thoughts turn to Merton Hall, the place to which I gave such a passionate adoration in my youth that the mere mention of its name now brings a mist before my eyes. There is sadness having so loved a place to which one does not not belong, in a country that is not one's own. But i treasure its memories more than anything else in my life.  Merton taught me to love games, green grass & trees, the blackberry hedges, the woods, whirr of pheasants rising in the park, along with the bulrushes on the shores of the mere.

I had friends in  the cottages in the villages of Merton Tomston, Tottington & Stanford. Carrier along with his friendly wife were  amongst my dearest friends.
I have spent long summers under other skies, without a sight of England to gladden my eyes, I have seen unfamiliar trees turning in  the autumn and remembered the russet leaves & golden bracken of Merton, The hoar frost on the hedges, and the round Saxon tower, in its shadow a tiny grave." ( Her Brothers)

Below Grave of Vittoria.

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