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the times. It was explained in part by the almost equally unconventional career of her husband, who entered the
Consular Service at the relatively late age of thirty-three and was amongst only a small handful of consuls who crossed the rickety bridge into the mainstream Diplomatic Service. Wives inevitably found themselves on the receiving end of the residual snobbery directed towards such upstarts. According to Charles Hardinge, who served under Sir William in Constantinople, Lady White was 'a common woman greatly lacking in dignity and savoir-faire.' She was apparently seen in the embassy kitchen collecting scraps from the supper table after a ball, and Hardinge once spied her in the main street of Pera buying live turkeys 'and feeling which was the fattest.' This undignified behaviour, he recalled with distaste, 'did not redound to her credit as Ambassadress.'
810:
51:
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Lady White, wife of Sir
William, Britain's ambassador in Constantinople between 1886 and 1891, was born plain Katherine Kendzior, the daughter of a German tobacconist – and she was never allowed to forget it. The elevation of one of such humble means to the rank of ambassadress was highly unusual for
476:
interests in the East. To the furtherance of this policy he brought an unrivalled knowledge of all the under-currents of
Oriental intrigue, which his mastery of languages enabled him to derive not only from the newspapers, of which he was an assiduous reader, but from the obscurest sources. His bluff
521:
Nor must Lady White be forgotten. A main contribution to all his success was that lovely and genial lady who for twenty-five years never faltered at his side. It is reported that he once said the greatest achievement of his life was winning the hand of Miss
Kendzior at Dantzic. The graceful suavity
307:
in 1806, Lucy and her daughter continued to live in Poland. They first lived on the estate Góra Puławska, and later held under lease the estate Wysock, the country residence of the
Czartoryski family. It is likely that Gardiner had formed an arrangement with the Czartoryskis in which they would
361:
After his return to Poland, William's grandmother purchased him an estate near Puławy at which time he became a landowner. White was an unsuccessful farmer and had numerous problems with his peasants. It is also possible that in the 1840s and '50s White was acting as an agent for the
British
342:, his mother's religion. It is likely that Eliza had acquired Catholicism from her mother, whose name suggests she was likely Irish Catholic. William was initially educated in Warsaw. The three men who looked after his interests—his father, Prince Czartoryski, and the Prince's supporter
291:
William Arthur White was born in Puławy on 13 February 1824 to Arthur Bourne White (1788–1856) and
Elizabeth Lila Gardiner (1798–1849). The couple had one other child who died in infancy. The White family traced its lineage to Hugh White of Dublin and his wife Mary Stewart, sister of
322:
of 1830, a death warrant was placed on Adam
Czartoryski, who subsequently fled to Paris where he lived in exile the remainder of his life. Arthur thus no longer had a purpose in Poland, and further, was a marked man due to his affiliation with the exiled prince. In 1832,
516:
While posted to Danzig, White met
Katherine Marie Kendzior (1840–1902), the daughter of a German tobacconist named Lewis Kendzior. William and Katherine married in 1867. In his biography of White, Sutherland quotes Edward Grosvenor, who wrote,
522:
and tact, and at times, because of physical ailments, the fortitude and even heroism with which Lady White, fulfilled all the social requirements of her station, contributed in large measure to the official success of the embassy.
331:, although he was quickly removed based on a request from the Prussian government. At this time Arthur returned to London. It was not until 1836 the White received another consular appointment, which this time was to
386:
in 1863 gave him an opportunity of showing his immense knowledge of
Eastern politics and his combination of diplomatic tact with resolute determination. He was promoted in 1864 to the post of consul at
921:
354:. White spent two years at Cambridge, but was not permitted to obtain a degree because he was a Catholic. In 1843 he returned to Poland to live with his mother and grandmother. His friend
311:
Arthur White moved to Poland sometime in the 1810s to work on the Czartoryski estate as an exporter of grain and timber. It is possible, however, that he was also serving as an agent for
303:(1748–1806) and his second wife Lucy O'Moore (died 1849). Gardiner served in the Foreign Office twice as the Minister in Warsaw, in 1784 and 1794. Following William Gardiner's death in
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and straightforward manner, and the knowledge that with him the deed was ready to follow the word, enabled him at once to inspire confidence and to overawe less masterful rivals.
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was accepted by the powers. In the following year he was rewarded with the embassy at Constantinople. He was the first Roman Catholic appointed to a British embassy since the
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provide protection for his widow and daughter. The Czartoryskis played a large part in the upbringing of Elizabeth. The family owned considerable estates in Poland.
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335:. In April 1840 he was transferred to the Colonial Service and the next month was gazetted secretary at Trinidad. Arthur died in Paris on 24 March 1856.
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in Berlin. However, in 1938 his daughter paid for the coffins of her father and mother to be shipped to England, where they were reinterred in
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to help form ties between England and the Slavic countries. It was probably Adam Czartoryski's idea for Eliza Gardiner to marry Arthur White.
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563:. Katherine Kendzior died on 13 June 1902 while staying with her son-in-law and daughter at the Shelley estate, Boscombe Manor, in
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From 1843 to 1857 he lived in Poland as a country gentleman, but in the latter year he accepted a post in the British consulate in
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567:. The Whites also had a son Neville William Arthur Philip Hugh (1870–1953). In 1890 Neville moved to Canada and joined the
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547:(1894–1941) became a guards officer and herald. Following the death of her first husband, in 1899 Lila married
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by erecting a barrier of independent states animated with a healthy spirit of national life, and by supporting
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40:
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Sir William White, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.: For Six Years Ambassador to Constantinople: His Life and Correspondence
263:. White entered the diplomatic service in 1857 at the age of 33, and between 1857 and 1886 had postings in
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William and Katherine's first child was Lila Lucy Catherine Mary (1867–1941). Lila was first married to
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The official honors bestowed on him culminated in 1888 when he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the
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Anonymous (1896). "SIR WILLIAM WHITE (1824-1891) (Obituary Notice, Tuesday, December 29, 1891)".
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was, however, the great passion of his life, and in 1875 he succeeded in getting transferred to
366:, he was considered a suspect by the Russian government and was placed under close supervision.
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More recently, Helen McCarthy described Lady White's difficulties in her role. She explained,
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442:, decided to wait; and during this year he rendered one of his most conspicuous services.
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William's mother was Elizabeth Lila Gardiner (1798–1849), the daughter of British soldier
296:, 6th Baronet Stewart. Arthur White served in the British Consular and Colonial Services.
8:
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551:, becoming the Baroness Abinger. On his mother's side, Lord Abinger was the grandson of
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346:—believed William should have a proper English education. As such, William was sent to
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430:, pointing out the increasing importance of that post. White's devoted friend, Sir
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Harris, C. A.; Matthew. "White, Sir William Arthur (1824–1891)first2= H. C. G.".
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was prevented from spreading into a universal conflagration, and that the
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822:. Vol. V (1891-1892). London: Macmillan and Co., Limited. pp.
691:. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 602.
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488:. He was still ambassador at Constantinople when he was attacked by
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259:(13 February 1824 – 28 December 1891) was a British
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on 28 December 1891. Initially White was interred in the crypt of
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accompanied him back and stayed with the family for three months.
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Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
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Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Ottoman Empire
543:, a Swedish envoy working in Constantinople. Their son
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Eminent Persons: Biographies reprinted from The Times
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He pursued consistently the policy of counteracting
732:. No. 36795. London. 16 June 1902. p. 12.
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Women of the World: The Rise of the Female Diplomat
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932:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
338:William spent his youth in Poland and was raised
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763:. Vol. 61. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
445:It was largely owing to his efforts that the
327:secured White the position of Vice-Consul in
279:. In 1886 he was given the ambassadorship in
947:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Romania
927:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
774:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
952:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Serbia
350:on the Isle of Man, and in October 1841 to
75:11 October 1886 – 28 December 1891
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937:People educated at King William's College
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406:In 1878 he was made British Agent at
718:. New York: Bloomsbury, 2014. p. 45.
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549:Shelley Scarlett, 5th Baron Abinger
453:and what was then known as eastern
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857:Agent and Consul-General to Serbia
747:Harris, Charles Alexander (1900).
401:Agent and Consul-General to Serbia
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806:National Portrait Gallery, London
802:Portraits of William Arthur White
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682:"White, Sir William Arthur"
884:Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
760:Dictionary of National Biography
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553:Sir Percy Shelley, 3rd Baronet
484:, and was given a seat on the
414:the choice of the legation at
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834:– via Internet Archive.
750:"White, William Arthur"
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656:. 5 March 1875. p. 1476.
624:– via Internet Archive.
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16:19th-century British diplomat
788:UK public library membership
555:, and the great grandson of
410:. In 1884 he was offered by
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888:1886 – 1891
861:1875 – 1879
561:Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
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203:Katherine Marie Kendzior
28:Sir William Arthur White
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688:Encyclopædia Britannica
637:. 5 April 1856, p. 369.
496:, where he died at the
451:unification of Bulgaria
362:government. During the
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608:Edwards, H. Sutherland
571:. He later settled in
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348:King William's College
313:Adam Jerzy Czartoryski
957:Deaths from influenza
616:. London: John Murray
502:St Hedwig's Cathedral
96:Robert Gascoyne-Cecil
867:Gerard Francis Gould
557:Percy Bysshe Shelley
877:Sir Edward Thornton
545:Eric Neville Geijer
325:Viscount Palmerston
108:Sir Edward Thornton
24:The Right Honorable
653:The London Gazette
506:Brookwood Cemetery
492:during a visit to
356:Henry Cadman Jones
344:Lord Dudley Stuart
182:Brookwood Cemetery
900:
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891:Succeeded by
864:Succeeded by
842:Diplomatic posts
786:(Subscription or
714:McCarthy, Helen.
703:Sir William White
573:Fort Saskatchewan
482:Order of the Bath
468:influence in the
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648:"No. 24187"
565:Bournemouth
537:Kammarherre
364:Crimean War
305:Nova Scotia
188:Nationality
103:Preceded by
906:Categories
790:required.)
741:References
508:, Surrey.
436:ad interim
287:Early life
225:Alma mater
141:1824-02-13
730:The Times
490:influenza
408:Bucharest
333:Granville
277:Bucharest
71:In office
610:(1902).
474:Austrian
397:Belgrade
273:Belgrade
261:diplomat
84:Victoria
830:8 March
804:at the
757:(ed.).
470:Balkans
466:Russian
455:Rumelia
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210:
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192:British
80:Monarch
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705:, 265.
494:Berlin
428:Peking
391:. The
389:Danzig
382:. The
376:Warsaw
275:, and
269:Danzig
265:Warsaw
198:Spouse
168:Berlin
148:Puławy
753:. In
579:Notes
329:Memel
254:
250:
212:(
208:
39:
35:
832:2019
826:–177
622:2018
559:and
252:GCMG
158:Died
135:Born
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776:doi
438:at
418:or
399:as
248:GCB
33:GCB
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685:.
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271:,
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256:PC
214:m.
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