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April 1895. Lady Theresa Londonderry is the foremost political influencer of her day, holding court for part of the year at Mount Stewart house on the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down. While she brings her powerful personal influence to bear on the aristocracy and politicians of the day, her servants create dazzling social events to entrance her guests. Then, as a treat for the most senior servants of her household, she lends out her personal sailing boat for a picnic on one of the islands in the Lough. But the boat is never seen again and eight people are missing – presumed drowned.
Bodies begin to be washed up. First Theresa’s house steward, Joseph Grainge, then local boatman, William Hagan. Next, is Jane Cheshire, lady’s maid to Lady Kathleen Cole, daughter of Lord Enniskillen. Jane’s parents are both dead and no one comes to collect her body – yet the people of Portaferry rally round when she is buried. Finally, William Start, valet to Lord Enniskillen, is found leaving four bodies unrecovered.
Personal tragedy does not derail someone as driven as Theresa for long – not even the death of her youngest son in 1899. Then, in 1903 Mount Stewart enjoys its finest hour with a royal visit. However, the world is changing and despite all Theresa’s efforts, Home Rule in Ireland is inevitable. Like the servants lost on Strangford Lough, she cannot escape her fate and when her husband dies, her title, grand houses and her servants pass to her son and his wife.
But what causes the loss of her boat in 1895? A survey of the lough with state of the art technology fails to find the wreck. A consideration of the different factors at work that day is inconclusive but raises a question: did the strict social hierarchies of the day seal the fate of all onboard?