A little bit of Welsh Queer History had some closure today when a diamond tiara that once belonged to one of Britain’s most extravagant and outrageous aristocrats was put up for Sale.
The Anglesey Tiara was at one time owned by Henry Cyril Paget fifth Marquess of Anglesey who inherited it in 1891 as part of his father’s estate when he died worth £60million in todays value. Young Henry was just 20 years old, and by the time he was 29 when he died of TB he was bankrupt having spent his entire fortune.as well as squandering his annual income the equivalent of £13 million.
Newspapers in March 1905 declared his death a “wasted life”, although the Times obituary said: “The news of Lord Anglesey’s death was received at Bangor with much regret, as Lord Anglesey, despite his peculiarities, was much liked there.”
He gutted the chapel in his family’s castle and replaced it with a 150-seat theatre. Even though Paget hired a professional theater he insisted playing the starring part every night and earned himself the nickname The Dancing Marquess . This was because he always did a “butterfly dance” wearing costumes which would literally cost millions of pounds today.
Young Paget evidently didn’t understand the concept of costume jewelry and thought it all had to be real.
Off stage he was just as eccentric, and as homosexuality was not really a public option, he married his cousin. It didn’t take her long to petition for divorce with the marriage annulled, reportedly due to non-consummation. Then she changed her mind and had the annulment withdrawn even though the pair remained estranged.. She was hardly alone as he had bought her the entire contents of a Paris jewelers as a wedding gift
But then jewelry always came and went in his life. When he left a diamond-encrusted costume (worth £1 million) in his changing room at the theatre, it went missing so he had another one made. Plus his French valet made off with £2m in jewels. and ended up in jail.
By 1904 he was totally broke with debts of the equivalent if almost £60m and bankruptcy proceedings were started against him. Trustees were appointed to run his estates – and then began 40 days of auctions selling off all the items he had collected over the previous five years.
One day alone was set aside to sell his collection of dogs – from poodles to collies. Another day saw 900 lots of silk-lined suits and fur coats put under the hammer.
On 14 March, 1905 in Monte Carlo he succumbed to TB-induced pneumonia and died. He was just 29. Sadly, his letters, diaries and papers were set alight and destroyed by the family.
Today now the last piece of Paget has been sold, and he will all be forgotten ……..or will he?
Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey (16 June 1875 – 14 March 1905)
Labels: 2020, gay history, The Dancing Marquess
