Marie Xenia de Tunzelman

  Notes:

On 1st wedding is shown as a Marie X DE Tunzelmann.

1901 Census; Living, aged 8, at Kensington Square Convent. Boarder, occupation; Religious Student. PoB China - British subject.

1921 Census living (aged 28y,10m) at 10 John Street, Highbury, London. No occupation. Shown as 'D'(ivorced). Occupation; Home Duties. Has 4 servants. Aunt Alice Annette is living with her as well. 15 rooms !

From Wendy H; Marie Xenia's first marriage failed and she divorced her husband for adultery and desertion in 1920 and case was reported in the Times. She married a Ronald Merison in 1911 at Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral and was deserted by him same year. In 1911 she had started proceedings for 'restitution of conjugal rights' but could not proceed as he had disappeared. She got news of him in 1920 and wrote on January 30: "Dear Ronald I hear that you are now in London again and so I am writing to ask you after all that has occurred if you are willing to make a fresh start together. Since 1912 I have heard nothing of you and you have done nothing for me but I am still your wife and in spite of your desertion of me I am holding out my hand to you once more to offer to make another attempt to live together - yours marie." She had no reply at first but after sending a reminder he replied on March 9 "Dear Marie I have received your letter of 30th January. I should have imagined that you would have realised that after all this time I meant to have nothing more to do with you. I have no intention whatsoever of living with you again. I may as well let you know that if you care to make inquiry at the Hotel Metropole, Brighton you will find that I stayed there recently with a lady as Mr and Mrs Merison. Yours Ronald." Evidence was obtained of the Brighton adultery and Marie Xenia was awarded a decree nisi with costs.

Philip G Bateman Biog; Cousin Marie was a precocious beauty. Tried to introduce PGB and sister Cecil to facts of life in the nursery. Emerged after WWI as Zenia, orphan of a Russian nobleman. Became Rt. Hon. The Countess of Lathom - well known in 1920s - smoked cigars.

From Lathom Park Facebook page (Mar 21) ; "Xenia, Countess of Lathom. Marie Xenia Von Tunzelman was a well known personality in London Society in the 1920s. She reinvented herself after WW1 as the orphan of a Russian Nobleman. Xenia had a very expensive education, her father, Edward Waldemar Von Tunzelman was the decendant of a distinguished family from Estonia, he was a Surgeon in the Royal Navy, serving in the Far East, his Uncle was an early explorer of New Zealand. Xenia had married in London aged 18 but the marriage lasted just a few weeks and Xenia fought for years to trace her husband to divorce him. She was an expert on French Painting and a published author on the subject. Her flair for interior design became well known in London, opening an exclusive furniture store with Lady Barbara Seymour, older sister of Lord Lathom. At their wedding reception, held in the Ritz on 2nd June 1927, guests drinking champagne with the happy couple included Tallulah Bankhead; Raymond Massey and Dame Marie Tempest. Lord Lathom died in Feb 1930. Xenia remained Countess of Lathom until her death in 1974 aged 81."

She missed her 2nd husbands funeral "The Earl was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, his wife was abroad and ill herself and missed his funeral."

The Times 18th Mar 1927; Forthcoming Marriages; The Earl of Lathom and Mrs.Morison. The engagement is announced, and the marriage will shortly take place, between the Right Hon. the Earl of Lathom of 65, Mount Street SW and Mrs. Xenia Morison, of 25 Elvaston Place, Queen's Gate.

Wrote a book on Claude Monet (P 1931) and (jointly) another on French painting.
"An introduction to French painting", by P.G. Konody and Xenia Lathom, P 1932 by Cassell.

Obit; The Times 1974; The Countess of Lathom died on Sept 5. She was Marie Xenia, the dau of E.W. de Tunzelman. She married firstly Ronald Morison, from whom she was divorced in 1921. She then married in 1927 the Earl of Lathom who died in 1930.

Marie married Ronald W. Merison Q2 1911 in Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral, London.

Marie next married Edward William Bootle-Wilbraham 3rd Earl of Lathom on 2 Jun 1927. (Edward William Bootle-Wilbraham 3rd Earl of Lathom was born on 16 May 1895 and died on 2 Jun 1930 in St. John’s Wood, London.)