Lucy Cavendish, born Lucy Lyttelton, was the 2nd daughter of the 4th Baron Lyttelton
Her mother died, from complications of the birth of her 12th child, when Lucy was 16
Lucy married, in what was clearly a love match, Lord Frederick Cavendish, a younger son of the Duke of Devonshire. Before her marriage she had been a maid of honour to Queen Victoria
Her mothers only sister, Aunt Catherine, was the wife of William Gladstone
So she was well placed to observe mid-Victorian society & politics at the highest level
She was not overawed - except by her father-in-law, the formidable 7th Duke - & wrote about it all with wit & liveliness, & with charm, in her private diaries
Her father, who had suffered frequently from bouts of depression, died by throwing himself over the balustrade at his London home & falling to his death 2 floors below
To their great sadness, Lucy & Frederick had no children, but they remained very close
In 1882 Gladstone asked Frederick to join the government of Ireland in an emergency Cabinet reshuffle
Lord Frederick was murdered while taking a stroll in Phoenix Park in Dublin on the afternoon he arrived in the city
Lucy was left a widow at the age of 40
