Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791)

Selina Shirley was born into a ‘distinguished’ dysfunctional family.
Troubles had followed the Shirley family for generations. her grandfather, Sir Robert had died in the Tower of London. Her father, a second Robert, was born shortly before his father was imprisoned. In 1671, aged 20, he married Elizabeth Washington. They had at least 11 children in 22 years of marriage. Elizabeth died in 1693 leaving 9 motherless children. Robert quarreled with all his children.
In 1699 he married again and had 6 more children who survived childhood.
The first girl in this second marriage, Elizabeth, had Queen Anne as her godmother. Selina was born in 1707. Aged 10 she learned her father had been left a derisory £20 in her grandfather’s will (others in the family had £5,000).

In 1728, aged 20, she married Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, who was 12 years older than Selina. In the first 10 years of their 18 years of happy married life they had 7 children, 6 survived. Theophilus died in 1746.

On 21st April 1730 she one of the 21 aristocratic women who supported Thomas Coran in establishing the Founding Hospital.

In 1739 she joined the first Methodist society in Fetters Lane, London. In July she was converted. From her bed, she lifted up her heart to the Saviour with this important prayer and immediately all her distress and fears were removed, and she was filled with peace and joy believing. Gold from Dark Mines p98.

From 1746 she became a financial supporter for the Methodist movement led by John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. George became her chaplain. She was responsible for founding 64 chapels and contributed to the funding of others. She also founded Trevecca ministers’ college near Talgarth in Mid Wales ( since 1972 the United Reformed Church).

She played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales.

Selina was a woman who allegedly suffered from poor health. She visited Bath to ‘take the waters’ on a number of occasions. After her conversion in 1739 her health improved dramatically,

Sources
Gold from Dark Mines by Irene Howat ch2 pages 77-108
Wikipedia