The Dowager Baroness Westbury, CBE 1924-2023

The Dowager Baroness Westbury, CBE, who has died aged 99, was a former Superintendent-in-chief of the St John's Ambulance Brigade, and widow of the 5th Baron Westbury, CBE, DL.

She was born Ursula Mary-Rose James, 6 May, 1924, scion of the Barons Northbourne, daughter of the Hon Robert James (1873-1960), and his second wife the former Lady Serena Mary Barbara Lumley (1901-2000), only child of the 10th Earl of Scarbrough, KG, GBE, KCB, TD (1857-1945); and she married 21 October, 1947, Capt the Hon David Alan Bethell, Scots Guards (born 16 July, 1922), ADC to HRH The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-74).

Her husband was the second son of the Hon Richard Bethell (1883-1929), and his wife the former Evelyn Lucia Millicent Hutton (1884-1956). David's father, a keen Egyptologist who was with Howard Carter at the opening of Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922. Those who believed in the "curse" which attended people who disturbed the tombs of the Pharaohs were interested to note that Richard Bethell died seven years later, and that three months after that his father - the 3rd Baron Westbury - also died suddenly. David's elder brother, Richard (born 9 Oct, 1914), succeeded as the fourth Baron Westbury, and died 26 June, 1961, when David succeeded to the peerage (created in 1861).

In 1990 Ursula (Lady Westbury from 1961), was appointed CBE for her work as superintendent-in-chief of the St John's Ambulance Brigade. The family home from 1952 was Knapton Hall, near Malton, North Yorkshire, where her husband was Master of Foxhounds. The 5th Baron Westbury was appointed public relations officer for Moet et Chandon in Britain, a job at which he excelled; no one seemed to mind that he referred to his boss as "Le Petit Grenouille". He also handled the PR for several London hotels - the Ritz, the Stafford and Dukes - for 10 years.

Lord Westbury was active in the House of Lords and was disappointed to be, as he put it, "ethnically cleansed" from the Upper House as a result of the reforms in 1999. But his main interest in later life was as a highly successful charity fund raiser. He helped to raise more than £10 million for various charities, among them St John Ambulance - for whom he was director of fund-raising - the Army Benevolent Fund, the Griffin Trust and Toynbee Hall. For this work he was appointed CBE in 1994.

She was widowed 12 Oct, 2001. Lady Westbury lraves issue, two sons, Maj Richard Nicholas Bethell, 6th Baron Westbury, MBE (born 29 May, 1950), and the Hon James David William Bethell (born 22 Feb, 1952), and a daughter, the Hon Celia Mary Holliday (born 5 March, 1955).

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