A fond farewell to Lady Jean
Brodick Church will be packed for her funeral
Lady Jean Fforde is going home for the last time.
She is to be laid to rest in the Hamilton family cemetery in the grounds of Brodick Castle were she spent her childhood growing up.
The youngest daughter of the 6th Duke of Montrose, and the last Hamilton to live in Brodick Castle, died last Friday morning with her son Charles and daughter in law Lynn by her side.
Lynn said that Lady Jean had died very peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of the morning. She was 96 and would have been 97 next month.
Her funeral service will be held in Brodick Church on Monday October 23 at 11.30am, which is expected to be packed, and the service will be relayed to the church hall. She will later be laid to rest in the Hamilton family cemetery.
Charles and Lynn told the Banner: ‘We want it to be an island event and for everyone to come and share their memories of this remarkable lady and her extraordinary life.’
Tributes have been paid to Lady Jean all week as she commanded much respect and love on the island. Very personal messages of condolence have been left on the Banner website and Facebook page. One said: ‘So sad to hear this amazing lady has passed away.’ Another wrote: ‘Lady Jean was such an ambassador for Arran, will be greatly missed by many.’
Her last appearance in public was recorded in the
Banner just two weeks ago when she was able to join the youngsters of the Arran Youth Foundations group, who were holding their annual fundraising event in the gardens of her Strabane home, for a short time.
Lynn said: ‘She loved the young people of Arran and had a great time meeting them.’
The retiral donation at her funeral will be for funds for the group.
There hasn’t been a burial in the Hamilton graveyard for 83 years. The small cemetery in the hills, surrounded by a red sandstone wall, contains the headstones of the 11th and 12th Dukes of Hamilton, who died in 1863 and 1895 respectively, and the latter’s wife Lady Mary Montague who died in 1934.
Simon Skinner, National Trust for Scotland chief executive, said: ‘We are saddened to hear of the death of Lady Jean, who was a great friend to the trust and to Brodick Castle. She was always generous with her knowledge of the castle and happy to share her stories. Our thoughts are with her family at this time.’
Lady Jean was born in Edinburgh on November 7, 1920, to James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose, and Mary Louise Douglas Hamilton, the Duchess of Montrose. She was the youngest of four children and, when growing up, the family lived for six months at Brodick Castle and six months at Buchanan Castle. Her siblings were James Angus Graham, 7th Duke of Montrose, Mary Helen Alma Boscawen and Lord Ronald Graham, all of whom predeceased her.
Lady Jean married Colonel John Fforde in 1947, with whom she had her son Charles. The couple divorced in 1957.
Brodick Castle and gardens were acquired by the Treasury from Lady Jean the following year, in lieu of death duties upon the death of her mother. They were gifted to the National Trust for Scotland.