Mary Monckton, countess of Cork and Orrery

Mary Monckton, countess of Cork and Orrery (born May 21, 1746, London—died May 30, 1840, London) was a society hostess whose “conversation parties” were attended by leading figures from the worlds of politics and letters. She is supposed to have been the original of “Lady Bellair” in British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli’s novel Henrietta Temple and of “Mrs. Leo Hunter” in Charles Dickens’ Pickwick Papers.