Dictionary of Indian Biography/Canning, Charlotte Elizabeth, Countess
CANNING, CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH, COUNTESS (1817–1861)
Daughter of Lord Stuart de Rothesay; born March 31, 1817, married, Sep. 5, 1835: in London to the Hon. Charles John Canning, afterwards Earl Canning, (q.v.), first Viceroy of India. She was constantly at Court as Lady-in-Waiting in attendance on Queen Victoria. Her death at Calcutta, Nov. 18, 1861, was deeply lamented. She returned to Calcutta on Nov. 8, after a month's visit to Darjeeling. She had caught jungle fever on her way down, when passing through the malarious country at the foot of the hills and in the Purnea district. She was buried in Barrackpur Park, on the banks of the Ganges. All accounts testify to her noble, simple and beautiful character, her talents and mental gifts, her personal appearance, her graciousness and dignity: in the trying time of the mutiny she rendered great help to her husband by her devotion, loyalty and self-sacrifice, by her calm and steady courage, her patience and self-possession, "no one was ever more admired and looked up to by every class of her Majesty's subjects." Lord Canning wrote this inscription for the monument over her grave: "Honours and praises written on a tomb are at best but vainglory: but that her charity, humility, meekness and watchful faith in her Saviour will, for that Saviour's sake, be accepted of God and be to her a glory everlasting, is the firm trust of those who knew her best and most dearly loved her in life, and who cherish the memory of her, departed."