Ella Atherton

Ella Atherton (11 September 1905 – May 1995) was a Scottish-born actress who married an Indian maharaja. After marriage in 1940, she was also known as Ila Devi Rajpipla; Maharani Ella Devi of Rajpipla or H.H. Maharani Ella Devi Sahiba.

Ella Atherton
Born11 September 1905
Edinburgh
DiedMay 1995
North Surrey
Other namesH.H. Maharani Ella Devi Sahiba, Ella Devi Rajpipla

Early life

Atherton was born in Edinburgh under the name of Ella Anderson.

Atherton was her chosen stage name and immigration records to the United States and the Far East indicate that her younger sister Effie,[1] who was born as Euphemia Walker Anderson in Edinburgh on 3 July 1907, also took on the Atherton name, becoming Effie Atherton.[2][3][4]

Career

Atherton was a silent movie actress, known for her roles in The First Born (1928)[5] and Human Cargo (1929).[6] She was also a successful model. After she married an Indian prince, she abandoned her acting career to pursue other interests, including tiger hunting.[7]

Personal
Indrajit-Padmini Mahal, one of Ella Devi Rajpipla's homes in India.

Atherton married Maharana Shri Sir Vijaysinhji Chhatrasinhji,[8] Maharaja of Rajpipla,[9] on 5 January 1940. He was a socialite, race horse owner (owner of Windsor Lad) and an accomplished polo player. She was his third wife. He received a knighthood from King George V in the 1925 New Year Honours. Atherton referred to him as ‘Pip’. They had a son and a daughter together, both born in England.

The couple had numerous homes, including the Indrajit-Padmini Mahal, or Vadia Palace, where they lived between the years 1934 and 1939. After Indian independence, she retired with her husband to a mansion on Church Road, Old Windsor, in Berkshire. Her husband died there in 1951. She died in May 1995, aged 89 years, in Surrey.

References
  1. "Effie Atherton, Ella's sister pursued a longer acting career than her sister Ella".
  2. "Portrait of his sister Effie".
  3. "Effie Atherton DOB and audio".
  4. "Films by her sister. Incoming passenger lists revealed that Ella Atherton traveled to the USA with her sister over this period".
  5. "The First Born (1928)". Screen Online.
  6. "Ella Atherton". BFI. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  7. "Indian Tiger Hunt". Getty Images. 1939.
  8. "Maharana Shri Sir Vijayasinhji Chhatrasinhji, Maharaja of Rajpipla" National Portrait Gallery.
  9. "Rajpipla: Princely State". Indian Rajputs.

Further reading
  • Ewan, E., Innes, S., Reynolds, S., & Pipes, R. (Eds.). (2007). The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women: From the Earliest Times to 2004. Edinburgh University Press.
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