Mystery Friday Foto #31: Consuelo, Birdie and Alva Vanderbilt and the daughters of Gertrude Whitney
This weekend's challenging Mystery Foto documented five Vanderbilt women together at a special event.
Mystery Foto questions:
- Identify the women from left to right and their relation to William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Left to right: Consuelo Duchess of Marlborough (Willie K's sister), Virginia Fair Vanderbilt (Willie's K's estranged wife), Barbara Payne Whitney (younger daughter of Harry Payne Whitney and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney), Alva Vanderbilt Belmont (Willie K's mother) and Flora Payne Whitney (older daughter of Harry Payne Whitney and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney).
- Where and when was this photo taken?
The photo was taken on July 10, 1914 on Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Marble House estate in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Identify the building in the background
The Chinese Tea House on Alva's estate.
- Kudos: What was the special event that drew these five women together?
On July 8, 1914, Alva Vanderbilt Belmont organized the Conference of Great Women held for the suffrage movement on her estate. Alva invited her family and women speakers from labor unions, courts, prisons, political groups and leaders of the suffrage movement. It was the first viewing of the new Chinese Tea House to the public.
Comments (4)
Congrats to Greg O. , Steve Lucas and Art Kleiner for identifying Consuelo and Alva at Marble House in Rhode Island.
Kudos to Steve Lucas for solving 90% of the the Mystery Foto.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Close-Up
Caption: July 10, 1914, The Duchess of Marlborough, Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., Mrs. O.H.P. Belmont and Barbara Vanderbilt.
Conference of Great Women, July 8, 1914, Newport, Rhode Island
Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough
Alva Vanderbilt Belmont
Alva Vanderbilt Belmont speaking with Consuelo sitting on the far right.
Consuelo and Alva
Chinese Tea House at Marble House, Newport, Rhode Island
The Chinese Tea House as it looks today. Note the match with the Mystery Foto.
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (wife of Harry Payne Whitney) and her daughters Barbara (middle) and Flora (right)
Note: Flora Whitney's hat matches her hat in the Mystery Foto.
Kleiner's Korner (Submitted by Art Kleiner)
New-York Historical Society
August 30, 1914 New York Times
Supporting Documents
Alva Belmont: From Socialite to Feminist by Janet W. Buell
July 7, 1914 New York Times
"Mrs. Oliver H.P. Belmont gave a dinner tonight at Marble House to the women who are to speak during the conference at Marble House tomorrow afternoon of the Political Equality Association. Mrs. Belmont, President of the Equality Association, and her daughter , the Duchess of Marleborough, will also deliver addresses."
"Mr. and Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney arrived from Long Island today."
The Glitter and The Gold by Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan
Comments
Identify the women from left to right and their relation to William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
-Consuelo, his sister Duchess of Marlborough, Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., Alva his mother, and Barbara Vanderbilt. Unsure of the woman in the center.
Where and when was this photo taken?
Identify the building in the background
What was the special event that drew these five women together
-On the steps of the Chinese Tea House at Marble House in Newport prior to a suffrage event, 1914
Not too sure about some of the identities but here are my guesses: Conseulo, Willie K’s sister; Virginia, his wife; Alva Belmont, his mother; Muriel, his daughter. I think the youngster in the foreground is Barbara Vanderbilt but can’t determine a relationship. I believe this photo was taken on the steps of the Chinese Tea House that Alva had built on the grounds of her “cottage” Marble House in Newport, RI. on the occasion of the first “Formal Tea” on July, 10, 1914.
Identify the women from left to right and their relation to William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Consuelo Vanderbilt (Willie K’s sister), Virginia, nieces Consuelo and Muriel Vanderbilt (daughters of Willie K’s brother, William II) and Alva Vanderbilt (Mrs. OHP Belmont, Willie’s mom).
Where and when was this photo taken? Newport, RI August 29, 1914
Identify the building in the background Marble House Mansion (Vanderbilt’s Newport Mansion. The newly opened Tea House.
Kudos: What was the special event that drew these five women together?
Alva hosted the Congressional Union for Union Suffrage (CU) conference at Marble House on August 29, 1914 and opened the organization’s summer HQ.
The event also coincided with the opening of the tea room and Consuelo’s return from England.
Obviously Alva is second from right!
I’m very late to this party, but it is very obvious that the two girls are not the Whitney daughters, but Muriel and Consuelo II, daughters of “Birdie” Vanderbilt and Alva’s son WK Vanderbilt, Jr. Far more logical that they would be in the photo, and this Boldini portrait of the Misses Vanderbilt rather confirms it.