Violet Manners, Duchess of Rutland

Life & Legacy

Marion Margaret Violet Manners, Duchess of Rutland (née Lindsay; 7 March 1856 – 22 December 1937) was a British artist and noblewoman. A granddaughter of the 24th Earl of Crawford, she married Henry Manners in 1882. She was styled the Marchioness of Granby from 1888 to 1906, when Manners succeeded as Duke of Rutland. She had five children, including John Manners, the 9th Duke of Rutland, and the socialite Lady Diana Cooper.
Though not formally trained, she created and exhibited portraits of her social circle and became involved in sculpture later in life. She was associated with The Souls, a group known for its cultural interests, and was often portrayed in art. In 2016, a portrait of her by G. F. Watts was acquired by the Watts Gallery Trust, prompting her grandson, historian John Julius Norwich, to donate a collection of her drawings.