| Admin History | Born 14 February 1725, Lady Charlotte was the second daughter of Thomas Fermor, Earl of Pomfret, and his wife Henrietta Louisa Jeffreys. Both Charlotte's parents held Court appointments. Charlotte and her sisters appear to have been well educated with the family travelling extensively throughout Europe.
On 9 August 1746, Charlotte became the second wife of the Honorable William Finch, Vice-Chamberlain to the King's Household and previously an MP. Charlotte bore him 5 children: George, 8th Earl of Winchilsea and 4th Earl of Nottingham; Charlotte; Frances; Sophia (later Sophia Feilding); and Henrietta. Charlotte later separated from Finch
Lady Charlotte was appointed Governess in Ordinary to the Prince of Wales on 13 August 1762 and subsequently acted in the same capacity to the younger children. She was responsible for the Princesses until they turned 21 and for the Princes until they were established with their own households and governors. Lady Charlotte appears to have been highly esteemed by the princesses, the princes, and the Queen. Even after her retirement in 5 January 1793 on the grounds of ill-health, the Royal Family maintained contact with Lady Charlotte and her daughter's family, the Feildings.
Increasingly blind and frail, Lady Charlotte lived out her last days in apartments at St James's Palace and died 11 July 1813 |
| Custodial History | GEO/ADD/15/432-456 were donated 1934, the remainder of the majority of documents were acquired at auction. See individual catalogue entries for details |