Bust of Mary Louisa Lambton - Countess of Elgin - Ottawa, Ontario
Posted by: 
Weathervane
N 45° 25.281 W 075° 41.605
18T E 445750 N 5029992
This bust of Mary Louisa Lambton - Countess of Elgin, located in the lobby of the Lord Elgin Hotel, in Ottawa, Ontario, was a gift to Canada from the United Kingdom by the 10th Earl of Elgin.
Waymark Code: WMX9NP
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 12/13/2017
Views: 3
Text of the plaque on the base of the of the 8th Earl of Elgin's sculpture also located in the lobby of the Lord Elgin Hotel.:
This bust of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, K.T.G.C.B. Governor-General of British North-America - 1847-1854
This bust and that of his wife, Mary Louisa, Countess of Elgin and Kincardine, C.I.
were presented in 1939 by their grandson, Edward James, 10th Earl of Elgin and 14th Earl of Kincardine K.T. to the Canadian Government through the Right Honourable W. Mackenzie King, then the P.M. of Canada on the understanding that they should be placed in the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa.
Andrew Bruce, 11th earl of Elgin, said it would be nice if the busts went back to the hotel for its 70th anniversary celebrations in mid-July. He said his father, the 10th earl, was very moved when he learned in 1939 from King that a hotel in Ottawa was going to be built and named in honour of his grandfather. The marble busts were commissioned by the directors of Standard Life of Scotland for his family. English sculptor William Behnes created the bust of Lord Elgin, while Scottish artist Amelia Paton did the bust of Lady Elgin. They were shipped to Canada in a Royal Navy battleship.
Reference:
(
visit link)
The Countess Elgin is the eldest daughter of John George Lambton (1792-1840) 1st Count Durham. Mary Louisa’s, mother, Lady Louisa Elizabeth Gray, was John George Lambton's second wife. In 1846, Mary Louisa married James Bruce (1811-1863) 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, Governor-General of British North-America.
She first came to Canada with her father in 1838 and returned later with her husband, the Governor- General of the Province of Canada, from 1847 to 1854. During her stay in Canada, she drew many scenes of Canadian life, mostly around Quebec City and Niagara Falls.
The above was translated from a PDF (see below) titled: Les séjours au Bas-Canada de Lady Mary Elgin (The travels to Lower-Canada by Lady Mary Elgin).
Reference: (
visit link)