House of Guinness: Who did Edward marry in real life? Details explored

Steven Knight is back with another Peaky Blinders-style historical drama series, titled House of Guinness, on Netflix. The period drama series is a fictional tale of the titular real-life brewing family dynasty, one of the largest stout manufacturers in the world. The show is set in 1868 Ireland, after the death of Sir Benjamin Lee. Amidst the political unrest in Ireland, the Guinness' family responsibility falls on Benjamin's four children: Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Benjamin.

Since Arthur Guinness chose a political career for himself, Edward Guinness established himself in the family brewery from a young age. According to history, after his father's death, Edward brought his brother's shares and became the sole proprietor of his family's brewing business. Under Edward's command, the brand soared to new heights, which established him as the richest man in Ireland in no time.

In Netflix's House of Guinness, Enola Holmes fame actor Louis Partridge plays Edward Guinness. In the finale, Edward makes a sacrificial choice and decides to marry Adelaide (Ann Skelly). This detail perfectly fits history, as Edward Guiness was married to his third cousin, Adelaide Maria, in real life.

More on this in our story.

House of Guinness: Who did Edward marry in real life?

As revealed in the final moments of House of Guinness, Edward Guinness married Adelaide Maria Guinness in 1873 in real life.

Throughout the Netflix series, Edward shared an important relationship with Adelaide, who was involved with him at the Guinness Housing Trust. The two shared a cordial relationship, and the youngest Guinness made the ultimate decision to marry his third cousin.

Adelaide was the daughter of Richard Guinness, MP and barrister, and his wife, Katherine. She descended from the banking line of the Guinness family and was affectionately called Dodo. The couple had three children: Rupert Edward, Arthur Ernest, and Walter Edward.

In House of Guinness, Edward makes this choice after taking a trip to Connacht and Cloonboo with Adelaide. While their marriage is depicted as a philanthropic move on Edward's part, it sits right with the history of the real-life figure. Adelaide's family connections and her interests in philanthropy mimicked Edward's ideals, making her the ideal partner for the youngest Guinness. Edward's decision to marry her is deeply connected with his business ambitions in the series.

House of Guinness: Separating fact from fiction about Edward's relationship with Ellen

While Edward eventually decides to marry Adelaide in the House of Guinness finale, he was involved in a passionate love affair with Ellen Cochrane, a member of the Fenian Brotherhood. Both Edward and Ellen stood on opposite sides of politics, but love and attraction brewed between them.

However, there is no record of Edward Guinness being involved in a romantic relationship with Ellen or any other woman. In fact, Ellen Cochrane and her brother, Patrick Cochrane, are fictional characters, based on a brother-sister duo within the Fenian cause.

While Ellen Cochrane was not a real-life figure, Knight took enough creative liberty and featured a passionate love affair between the couple. This detail helped in exploring Edward's character in more depth, and his feelings for Ellen stood in sharp contrast to his ambitions and duty as the future heir.

After Edward learned about Byron’s plans with the Fenian Brotherhood in Episode 5, he grew close to Ellen, and their conflict turned into a personal relationship. This fictional conflict between duty and love is brewed to establish Edward as a true sympathetic hero. His relationship with Ellen stood as an obstacle, and he chose duty in the finale.

While he chose Adelaide in the end, his lingering feelings for Ellen could create problems in his marriage if House of Guinness returns for a second season.

House of Guinness is streaming on Netflix.

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