Edward Downes Edward Downes Sir Edward Thomas ("Ted") Downes, CBE (17 June 1924 – 10 July 2009) was an English conductor, specialising in opera. He was associated with the Royal Opera House from 1952, and with Opera Australia from 1970. He was also well known for his long working relationship with the BBC Philharmonic and for working with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra. Within the field of opera, he was particularly known as a conductor of Verdi. He and his wife, Lady (Joan) Downes, committed assisted suicide at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland on 10 July 2009, an event that received significant media
Joan, Lady Campbell wife was never Duchess of Argyll. The duke died, aged 69, in Inveraray Castle in Argyllshire and was buried at Kilmun Parish Church. Having been predeceased by his elder son John in 1837, he was succeeded in the dukedom and his other titles by his second son, George. Joan, Lady Campbell Joan, Lady Campbell (c.1775 – 22 January 1828), formerly Joan (or Joanna) Glassel(l), was an American-born Scottish heiress who was the second wife of John Campbell, 7th Duke of Argyll, and the mother of the 8th Duke. Joan was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the only daughter of John Glassel