Isabel Talbot, Baroness Talbot de Malahide

Isabel Charlotte Talbot, Baroness Talbot de Malahide DBE (20 December 1851–22 February 1932), née Isabel Charlotte Blake-Humfrey, known as Isabel Charlotte Gurney from 1873 to 1901, was an English philanthropist.

She was born at Wroxham House, Norfolk, the daughter of Richard Blake-Humfrey, a retired army officer who had lost a leg at the Battle of the Nive in 1813, and his wife Charlotte. In 1871 she married John Gurney, a wealthy Norwich banker. She and her husband were deeply involved in many educational and philanthropic projects in Norwich, including the conversion of Norwich Castle into the city museum. With Mr Gurney's health failing, in 1886 they moved to Cannes, France, where he died the following year at the age of only 41.

Mrs Gurney returned to their home at Sprowston Hall and lived there until 1898, when she moved to Grosvenor Place, London, and became a notable hostess. In December 1901 she married Richard Talbot, 2nd Baron Talbot de Malahide and moved to his home at Castle Malahide, County Dublin, where she continued her philanthropic work. During the First World War she served as president of the County of Dublin Branch of the British Red Cross Society and the Irish Joint Red Cross and St John Executive Committee. For this work she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours.

Lord Talbot de Malahide died in 1921 and his widow moved back to London. She became heavily involved with the Women's Institute and founded a branch (and served as its president) near her country home at Compton Regis, near Shrivenham in Berkshire.

Lady Talbot was a talented artists in both watercolour and oils and also published two books, "Foundations of National Glory" and "Golden Opportunities". She had five sons and two daughters by her first marriage. They included Sir Eustace Gurney, diplomat Hugh Gurney and scientist Robert Gurney.

References

*Obituary, "The Times", 23 February 1932