Fourth Generation

	Anne Armstrong-Jones photographed for the Daily Express 1933. ©Birr Castle Archives.

Anne, 6th Countess of Rosse (neé Anne Messel) was a debutante in 1920 and became a celebrated society beauty, famous for her personal style. Like her mother Maud, Anne's dress was inspired by a passion for romanticism, history and flowers. She patronised young London fashion designers and, from the 1950s, Dublin based designers.

In 1925 she married barrister Ronald Armstrong-Jones with whom she had two children, Susan (born 1927) and Antony Charles Robert (born 1930 and later to become Lord Snowdon). After her divorce in 1935, she married Laurence Michael Harvey, the 6th Earl of Rosse with whom she had two sons (William Clere Leonard Brendan Wilmer, the 7th Earl of Rosse, born 1936) and Desmond Oliver Parsons (known as the Hon Martin Parsons, born 1938).

It was Anne who recognised the family and historical significance of the clothing worn by her grandmother and mother. From 1924 she started to preserve her own garments. In 1981 she presented many items to Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.