Marie Antoinette's

George Kein Hayward Coussmaker was born in 1759 in Kent.  His family was Dutch, and his ancestor John de Coussmaker was said and most probably arrived in England along with William III, in his suite.   They became a successful merchant family in London, settling in Surrey.  His father, George Coussmaker had married Mary Hayward in 1758, and they had two children, George K. H. Coussmaker and a daughter, Catharine (Kitty).

His father passed away leaving his mother to remarry Thomas Pym Hales, and together they had several daughters.  George moved out of the house first (surely out of necessity - a house of seven girls!) and became Colonel of the 1st Gaurds. 

Fun fact! George's mother, now Lady Hale, and his sister Miss Coussmaker (Kitty) became close with Susanna Burney (especially his sister).  Through this connection she met Jane Austen!

When he was 24 he hired Reynolds to paint his portrait.  He paid about £200 for it.


At 31 he married Catharine Southwell, who was 22 at the time.  Her father was Lord Clifford. Yes he married quite well!  Lord Clifford has passed away before his daughter married and they were married under a special license.  The wedding took place on 13 November 1790 at the parish of St George (Hanover Square) at her mother's house (Lady Clifford portrait on left) on Stanhope Street.  I do not know of a portrait of Catharine, but if she inherited any beauty from her mother it is easy to see George was smitten!

George and Catharine had a daughter Sophie on 4 November 1791 and a son in 1797, Geroge (of course!).  Sadly, George and Catharine would only live to see their 10th wedding anniversary.  She went with him to Martinqiue, where he caught yellow fever.  Nursing him was to no avail, and he passed away on 11 July 1801.  Catharine had also contracted the disease and 8 days later, joined her husband in death.  The children were left to Catharine's brother Edward's care, who was at the time 21st Lord de Clifford.

Their son was schooled at Westminster and Oxford while Sophie married a Whig grandee, Lord William Russell. her brother died at the young age of 24, leaving his sister the heir to the barony of Clifford through her mother!