Ian Handford: The philanthropist whose acts have never been matched

In spite of the astonishing philanthropy to the poorest in society Angela did also involve herself with issues of: medical topics, business matters and science activity, plus dozens of causes abroad needing help.

One business cause not typical however concerned small traders wanting access to "Covent Garden Market" but denied by using extortunate rents to keep them out.  Angela in seeing his as most unfair became determined to help by creating a competitive market place she named the “New Market Centre”.

Her new building was enormous covering four blocks named "The Columbia Market". Her huge investment miserably failed as suppliers refused to sell goods to the New Market. As wholesalers they proved to Angela that the commercial sector operates by their own rules and that money alone cannot always supply an answer.

Forced to convert her "New Market" into extra new homes for London's poor the property was named "Columbia Square" and long after her death became  Baroness Road London E2.  Yet fortunately the Queen learned of the new flats for the poor and Her Majesty decided to award Angela making her the first ever female "Baroness" in her own right. Given in 1871 the title allowed her to be invited to all Royal events and even occassionally meet Majesty in private.

Nine years later she was given the “Freedom of the City” yet popularity change when deciding to marry a young man of age 27 (today a toy boy) when she was 67. That lifelong promise made at age 21 changed after attending an awards ceremony for students at the invitattion of her close friend William Pengelly in the 70's.

As Guest Speaker she presented the top prize to a young man she had known when he was a child. William Ashmead Bartlett (of American descent) thanked the Baroness for his prize in pure Latin her favourite language. Questioning him about his future held she learned his family would not be sending him to University as they were to poor. This was immediately corrected with Angela imagining this was just another small philanthropic gesture.

She could not have been more wrong as when William returned to Torquay from Oxford he sought “ought his Baroness” and proposed marriage. At first flattered as weeks passed romance emerged and eventually Angela accepted William's proposal. 

Re-enter the Queen who formally wrote suggesting that any "romantic liaison" with such a young man was a step too far. Her Majesty even suggested that Angela call off the marriage it beking seen "as a lamentable act of self abasement". Today    we accept that love can conquer all and any “suggestion” or even "clauses in a will" were hardly going to change that. Now the inheritany was at risk and with all Royal invitations stopped the marriage still went ahead. 

Love had won every connection to Torquay ceased and by 1877 Angela's  Villa had been demolished making way for a hotel "The Rosetor". A hundred years later this itelf was demolished in 1877 when Torbay Council built the "International Riviera Centre" on Chestnut Avenue.  Meanwhile, in 1881 the Baroness (who retained her title) finally married William.  

Having legally fought to retain her legacy after a battle with her sister (next to inherit) finally Angela gave up all her rights. That added clause in the Coutts Will “must not marry an alien" had won the day. But Londoners did not forget their "Queen of the Poor", thousands came out to watch her pass by dressed in a pure white satin dress and a white veil in 1881. Even bank Trustees ensured she could live out her life in the style to which she had been accustomed during the last 44 years. 

Today we can find "Baroness Road, Angela Gardens, Burdett Road and the Burdett School" and that "Model Housing Building" at Columbia Square". Having an adequate income for life the couple led a normal life though all philanthropy ended.

Later Angela learned Ashmead did take lovers and what occurred behind closed doors we shall never know.  What is fact is they remained married until Baroness Angelina Georgina Burdett-Coutts-Bartlett died in 1906 at age 92.  She had outlived Her Majesty Victoria by five years as the Queen died in 1901.