Duke of Sutherland
Encyclopedia
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
held by the head of the Leveson-Gower family. It was created by William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford
George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland KG, PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1758 to 1786, as Earl Gower from 1786 to 1803 and as The Marquess of Stafford from 1803 to 1833, was a British politician, diplomat, landowner and patron of the arts. He is estimated to have been the...
. A series of marriages to heiresses by members of the Leveson-Gower family made the Dukes of Sutherland one of the richest landowning families in the United Kingdom.
The subsidiary titles of the Duke of Sutherland are: Marquess of Stafford (created 1786), Earl Gower (1746), Earl of Ellesmere, of Ellesmere
Ellesmere, Shropshire
Ellesmere is a small market town near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, notable for its proximity to a number of prominent lakes, the Meres.-History:...
in the County of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
(1846), Viscount Trentham, of Trentham
Trentham, Staffordshire
Trentham is a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent, located to the south-west of the city centre and to the south of the neighbouring town of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Although the majority of Trentham is within the city limits, it is mostly separated from the main urban area by surrounding open space and the...
in the County of Stafford
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
(1746), Viscount Brackley, of Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
in the County of Northampton
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
(1846), and Baron Gower, of Sittenham in the County of York
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
(1703). The marquessate of Stafford, the earldom of Gower and the viscounty of Trentham are in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
, the dukedom, the earldom of Ellesmere and the viscounty of Brackley in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
, and the barony of Gower in the Peerage of England
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
. The Duke is also a Baronet, of Sittenham in the County of York, a title created in the Baronetage of England in 1620. Between 1839 and 1963 the Dukes also held the titles of Lord Strathnaver
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
and Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
, both in the Peerage of Scotland
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
. The Scottish titles came into the family through the marriage of the first Duke to Elizabeth Sutherland, 19th Countess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Sutherland Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland , also suo jure 19th Countess of Sutherland, was a Scottish peeress, best remembered for her involvement in the Highland Clearances....
.
Family history
Sir Thomas GowerSir Thomas Gower, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Gower, 1st Baronet of Stittenham , was eight weeks old in September 1584, and having been knighted by James I was created a baronet on 2 June 1620...
was created a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, of Sittenham in the County of York, by James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1620. This title was in the Baronetage of England. His son Thomas, the second Baronet
Sir Thomas Gower, 2nd Baronet
Sir Thomas Gower, 2nd Baronet of Sittenham was twice High Sheriff of Yorkshire and supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.-Biography:...
, married Frances, daughter of Sir John Leveson. Their grandson son William, the fourth Baronet
Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet
Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet was an English politician.Born William Gower, he was the second son of Sir Thomas Gower, 2nd Baronet and Frances, daughter and coheir of John Leveson. He added the surname Leveson to his own in 1668, when he inherited the Trentham and Lilleshall estates of...
(who succeeded his unmarried elder brother), assumed the additional surname of Leveson. Sir William married Lady Jane (d. 1696), daughter of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath PC was an English royalist statesman, whose highest position was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland....
and sister of Grace Carteret, 1st Countess Granville (see Earl Granville
Earl Granville
Earl Granville is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.-First Creation:...
). Their son John, the fifth Baronet, was raised to the Peerage of England
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
as Baron Gower, of Sittenham in the County of York, in 1706. His son, the second Baron, served three times as Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
. In 1746 he was created Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the County of Stafford, and Earl Gower. Both titles are in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
. His eldest surviving son from his first marriage, Granville, the second Earl, was also a prominent politician. In 1786 he was created Marquess of Stafford in the Peerage of Great Britain. Lord Stafford married secondly Lady Louisa Egerton, daughter of Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater
Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater
Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater , known as Viscount Brackley from 1687 to 1701 and as the Earl of Bridgewater from 1701 to 1720, was a British peer and courtier...
. His son from his third marriage to Lady Susanna Stewart, Lord Granville Leveson-Gore, was created Earl Granville in 1833, a revival of the title created for his great-great-aunt in 1715.
Lord Stafford was succeeded by his eldest son from his second marriage, George. He married Elizabeth Sutherland, 19th Countess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Sutherland Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland , also suo jure 19th Countess of Sutherland, was a Scottish peeress, best remembered for her involvement in the Highland Clearances....
. In 1803 he succeeded to the vast estates of his maternal uncle Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater , known as Lord Francis Egerton until 1748, was a British nobleman, the younger son of the 1st Duke...
. In 1833 he was created Duke of Sutherland in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
.
Clearances
The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland remain controversial for their role in the Highland ClearancesHighland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
, when thousands of crofters were removed forcibly from their land so as to allow sheep rearing on a much larger scale than before. Such activities were in widespread use across Scotland and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Clearances were considered by the landlords as necessary "improvements". They are thought to have been begun by Admiral John Ross
John Ross (naval officer)
Sir John Lockhart-Ross, 6th Baronet , known as John Lockhart from 1721 to 1760, was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence, and served for a time as a Member of Parliament.Lockhart was born into...
of Balnagowan Castle in 1762. MacLeod of MacLeod
MacLeod
MacLeod and McLeod are surnames in the English language. Variant forms of the names are Macleod and Mcleod.Generally, the names are considered to be Anglicised forms of the Scottish Gaelic MacLeòid, meaning "son of Leòd". However, in some cases the names can also be Anglicised forms of the Irish...
(i.e. the chief of MacLeod) began experimental work on Skye in 1732. Chiefs engaged Lowland
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
, or sometimes English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, factors
Factor (Scotland)
In Scotland a factor is a person or firm charged with superintending or managing properties and estates -- sometimes where the owner or landlord is unable to or uninterested in attending to such details personally, or in tenements in which several owners of individual flats contribute to the...
with expertise in more profitable sheep farming, and they "encouraged", sometimes forcibly, the population to move off suitable land.
Another wave of mass emigration came in 1792, known as the "Year of the Sheep" to Scottish Highlanders. The people were accommodated in poor crofts or small farms in coastal areas where farming could not sustain the communities and they were expected to take up fishing. In the village of Badbea
Badbea
Badbea is a former village by the cliff tops of the east coast of Caithness, Scotland, established during the Highland Clearances. Situated around north of Helmsdale, the village was settled in the 18th and 19th centuries by families evicted from their homes when the straths of Langwell, Ousdale...
in Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
the conditions were so harsh that, while the women worked, they had to tether their livestock and even their children to rocks or posts to prevent them being blown over the cliffs. Others were put directly onto emigration ships to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
(Antigonish and Pictou counties and later Cape Breton
Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton County, officially, County Cape Breton, is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island.Taking its name from Cape Breton, the most easterly point of the island which was called after the Bretons of Brittany, this municipality has what is probably the oldest...
), the Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
area of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and the Carolinas of the American colonies. There may have been a religious element in these forced removals since many Highlanders were Roman Catholic. This is reflected by the majority representation of Catholics in areas and towns of Nova Scotia such as Antigonish and Cape Breton. However almost all of the very large movement of Highland settlers to the Cape Fear
Cape Fear (region)
Cape Fear is a coastal plain and tidewater region of North Carolina centered about the city of Wilmington. The region takes its name from the adjacent Cape Fear headland, as does the Cape Fear River which flows through the region and empties into the Atlantic Ocean near the cape...
region of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
were Presbyterian. (This is evidenced even today in the presence and extent of Presbyterian congregations and adherents in the region.)
According to the will of the Duke of Bridgewater, the Egerton estates passed on the death of the first Duke of Sutherland to his third son Lord Francis Leveson-Gower
Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere
Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere KG, PC , known as Lord Francis Leveson-Gower until 1833, was a British politician, writer, traveller and patron of the arts...
, who changed his surname to Egerton by Royal license. In 1846 he was created Viscount Brackley and Earl of Ellesmere
Earl of Ellesmere
Earl of Ellesmere, of Ellesmere in the County of Shropshire , is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1846 for the Conservative politician Lord Francis Egerton. He was granted the courtesy title of Viscount Brackley, of Brackley in the County of Northampton, at the same...
.
The Duke was succeeded by his eldest son and namesake George, the second Duke. In 1839 he also succeeded his mother in the ancient Scottish titles of Earl of Sutherland and Lord Strathnaver. His eldest son, the third Duke, married Anne Hay-Mackenzie, who in 1864 was created Countess of Cromarty, with remainder to their younger sons (see Earl of Cromarty).
His grandson, the fifth Duke, succeeded to the title at the age of 25 in 1913. In 1914 he decided on the outbreak of the First World War that it was unwise to have so much of his riches tied up in land and property. He sold the family's Staffordshire estate except Lilleshall Hall
Lilleshall Hall
Lilleshall Hall is a large former country house and estate located near Lilleshall in Shropshire, England. It was founded as an Augustinian Abbey in the 12th century, with its estate running to some...
and 50 acres (20.2 ha) of gardens. He then decided he wanted to live closer to London, and sold the whole package in 1917 to Sir John Lee. The Duke was childless; on his death in 1963, the line of the eldest son of the first Duke failed. He was succeeded in the earldom of Sutherland and lordship of Strathnaver, which could be inherited by females, by his niece Elizabeth
Elizabeth Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Millicent Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland is a British peeress.-Early life:She was born Elizabeth Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, the only child of Major Lord Alastair Sutherland-Leveson-Gower , a son of the 4th Duke of Sutherland, and his wife, the former Elizabeth Demarest...
. Elizabeth also inherited most of her uncle's wealth, but the dukedom and other titles could only be passed on to male heirs, and they were inherited by his third cousin once removed, John Sutherland Egerton, 5th Earl of Ellesmere, who became the 6th Duke of Sutherland as well. He was a great-great-grandson of the first Earl of Ellesmere, third son of the first Duke of Sutherland. He also died childless and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed, Francis Ronald Egerton, the seventh and present duke, a grandson of the Hon. Francis William George Egerton, second son of the third Earl of Ellesmere.
Today most of the duke's wealth is in the form of the art collection
Orleans Collection
The Orleans Collection was a very important collection of over 500 paintings formed by the French prince of the blood Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, mostly acquired between about 1700 and his death in 1723...
put together by the first duke's uncle, Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater , known as Lord Francis Egerton until 1748, was a British nobleman, the younger son of the 1st Duke...
, which had been inherited by the Ellesmere line of the family.
Other family members
William Gower, youngest son of Sir WilliamSir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet
Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet was an English politician.Born William Gower, he was the second son of Sir Thomas Gower, 2nd Baronet and Frances, daughter and coheir of John Leveson. He added the surname Leveson to his own in 1668, when he inherited the Trentham and Lilleshall estates of...
the fourth Baronet, was Member of Parliament for Ludlow
Ludlow (UK Parliament constituency)
Ludlow is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
The Hon. William Leveson-Gower, second son of John, first Baron Gower
John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower
John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower PC was the son of Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet and his wife Jane Granville. He was born on 7 Jan 1675 in Stittenham, Yorkshire....
and grandson of the fourth Baronet, was Member of Parliament for Stafford
Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stafford is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The sitting MP is the Conservative Jeremy Lefroy....
. The Hon. Thomas Leveson-Gower, third son of the first Baron, was Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
. The Hon. Baptist Leveson-Gower, fourth son of the first Baron, was also Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The Hon. Richard Leveson-Gower
Richard Leveson-Gower
Richard Leveson-Gower was the fourth son of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower.He served as Member of Parliament for Lichfield from 1747 until his death. He did not marry.-References:...
, fourth son of the first Earl, was Member of Parliament for Lichfield
Lichfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. The Hon. John Leveson-Gower (1740–1792), sixth son of the first Earl, was an Admiral in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Frederick Neville Sutherland Leveson-Gower, son of Lord Albert Leveson-Gower, younger son of the second Duke, sat as Member of Parliament for Sutherland
Sutherland (UK Parliament constituency)
Sutherland was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It represented essentially the traditional county of Sutherland, electing one Member of Parliament...
. Lord Ronald Gower, youngest son of the second Duke, was a politician, sculptor and writer.
Seats
The family seat was originally Lilleshall HallLilleshall Hall
Lilleshall Hall is a large former country house and estate located near Lilleshall in Shropshire, England. It was founded as an Augustinian Abbey in the 12th century, with its estate running to some...
and later, grander, family seats included Trentham Hall, Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
, and Cliveden
Cliveden
Cliveden is an Italianate mansion and estate at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. Set on banks above the River Thames, its grounds slope down to the river. The site has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor....
. In the 19th and early 20th century the family’s London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
residence was Stafford House, which was rated
Rates (tax)
Rates are a type of property tax system in the United Kingdom, and in places with systems deriving from the British one, the proceeds of which are used to fund local government...
as the most valuable private residence in London.
The duke's current seat is at Mertoun House
Mertoun House
Mertoun House is a country house situated by the River Tweed, east of St Boswells in the Scottish Borders. It is home to the Duke of Sutherland for the majority of the year. The early 18th-century house is category-A listed, and was designed by Sir William Bruce...
in St. Boswells
St. Boswells
St Boswells is a village on the south side of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. It lies about 1 mile SE of Newtown St Boswells on the A68 road....
, in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
.
Gower, later Leveson-Gower Baronets, of Stittenham (1620)
- Sir Thomas Gower, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Gower, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Gower, 1st Baronet of Stittenham , was eight weeks old in September 1584, and having been knighted by James I was created a baronet on 2 June 1620...
(1584–c. 1665) was descended in the direct male line from a number of knights - Sir Thomas Gower, 2nd BaronetSir Thomas Gower, 2nd BaronetSir Thomas Gower, 2nd Baronet of Sittenham was twice High Sheriff of Yorkshire and supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.-Biography:...
(c. 1605–1672), son of the 1st Baronet- Edward Gower, an elder son of the 2nd Baronet, presumably predeceased his father
- Sir Thomas Gower, 3rd Baronet (c. 1666–1689), a son of Edward, died unmarried
- Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th BaronetSir William Leveson-Gower, 4th BaronetSir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet was an English politician.Born William Gower, he was the second son of Sir Thomas Gower, 2nd Baronet and Frances, daughter and coheir of John Leveson. He added the surname Leveson to his own in 1668, when he inherited the Trentham and Lilleshall estates of...
(c. 1647–1691), a younger son of the 2nd Baronet - Sir John Leveson-Gower, 5th BaronetJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower PC was the son of Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet and his wife Jane Granville. He was born on 7 Jan 1675 in Stittenham, Yorkshire....
(1675–1709) was created Baron Gower in 1703
Barons Gower (1703)
- John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower PC was the son of Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet and his wife Jane Granville. He was born on 7 Jan 1675 in Stittenham, Yorkshire....
(1675–1709), eldest son of the 4th Baronet - John Leveson-Gower, 2nd Baron GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower PC , known as The Baron Gower from 1709 to 1754, was a British Tory politician, one of the first Tories to enter government in the 18th century.- Background :...
(1694–1754) was created Earl Gower in 1746
Earls Gower (1746)
- Other titles: Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the county of Stafford (1746) and Baron Gower (1703)
- John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl GowerJohn Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower PC , known as The Baron Gower from 1709 to 1754, was a British Tory politician, one of the first Tories to enter government in the 18th century.- Background :...
(1694–1754), eldest son of the 1st Baron - Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl GowerGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of StaffordGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1746 to 1754 and as The Earl Gower from 1754 to 1786, was a British politician.-Background:...
(1721–1803) was created Marquess of Stafford in 1786
- John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower
Marquesses of Stafford (1786)
- Other titles: Earl Gower and Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the county of Stafford (1746) and Baron Gower (1703)
- Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of StaffordGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of StaffordGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1746 to 1754 and as The Earl Gower from 1754 to 1786, was a British politician.-Background:...
(1721–1803), third (eldest surviving) son of the 1st Earl - George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of StaffordGeorge Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of SutherlandGeorge Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland KG, PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1758 to 1786, as Earl Gower from 1786 to 1803 and as The Marquess of Stafford from 1803 to 1833, was a British politician, diplomat, landowner and patron of the arts. He is estimated to have been the...
(1758–1833) was created Duke of Sutherland in 1833
- Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford
Dukes of Sutherland (1833)
- Other titles: Marquess of Stafford (1786), Earl Gower and Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the county of Stafford (1746) and Baron Gower (1703)
- George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of SutherlandGeorge Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of SutherlandGeorge Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland KG, PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1758 to 1786, as Earl Gower from 1786 to 1803 and as The Marquess of Stafford from 1803 to 1833, was a British politician, diplomat, landowner and patron of the arts. He is estimated to have been the...
(1758–1833), eldest son of the 1st Marquess
- George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland
- Other titles (2nd–5th Dukes): Earl of Sutherland and Lord Strathnaver (Sc 1235)
- George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of SutherlandGeorge Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of SutherlandGeorge Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG , styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer....
(1786–1861), eldest son of the 1st Duke - George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of SutherlandGeorge Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of SutherlandGeorge Granville William Sutherland Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland , styled Viscount Trentham until 1833, Earl Gower in 1833 and Marquess of Stafford between 1833 and 1861, was a British politician.-Background:Sutherland was the son of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland...
(1828–1892), eldest son of the 2nd Duke- George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Earl Gower (1850–1858), eldest son of the 3rd Duke (then Lord Stafford), died in childhood
- Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of SutherlandCromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of SutherlandCromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland , styled Lord Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower until 1858, Earl Gower between 1858 and 1861 and Marquess of Stafford between 1861 and 1892, was a British peer and politician.-Background:Sutherland was the son of George...
(1851–1913), second son of the 3rd Duke - George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of SutherlandGeorge Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of SutherlandGeorge Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland PC, KT , styled Earl Gower until 1892 and Marquess of Stafford between 1892 and 1913, was a British courtier, patron of the film industry and Conservative politician...
(1888–1963), eldest son of the 4th Duke, died without issue
- George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
- Other titles (6th Duke onwards): Earl of Ellesmere and Viscount Brackley, of Brackley in the county of Northamptonshire (1846)
- John Egerton, 6th Duke of SutherlandJohn Egerton, 6th Duke of Sutherlandthumb|right|200px|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]John Sutherland Egerton, 6th Duke of Sutherland , styled Viscount Brackley until 1944 and known as The Earl of Ellesmere between 1944 and 1963, was a British peer.-Background and education:the son of John Egerton, 4th Earl of Ellesmere and Lady Violet...
(1915–2000), already 5th Earl of EllesmereEarl of EllesmereEarl of Ellesmere, of Ellesmere in the County of Shropshire , is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1846 for the Conservative politician Lord Francis Egerton. He was granted the courtesy title of Viscount Brackley, of Brackley in the County of Northampton, at the same...
, great-great-grandson of Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of EllesmereFrancis Egerton, 1st Earl of EllesmereFrancis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere KG, PC , known as Lord Francis Leveson-Gower until 1833, was a British politician, writer, traveller and patron of the arts...
(previously Lord Francis Leveson-Gower), third son of the 1st Duke, died without issue - Francis Egerton, 7th Duke of SutherlandFrancis Egerton, 7th Duke of SutherlandFrancis Ronald Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland , known as Francis Egerton until 2000, is a British peer.Sutherland is the son of Cyril Reginald Egerton, the grandson of Francis Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere. His mother was Mary, daughter of Sir Ronald Campbell...
(b. 1940), first cousin once removed of the 6th Duke and great-grandson of Francis Charles Granville Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere- Heir apparentHeir apparentAn heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
: James Egerton, Marquess of Stafford (b. 1975), eldest son of the 7th Duke, has three daughters
- Heir apparent
- John Egerton, 6th Duke of Sutherland
Line of succession
- James Granville Egerton, Marquess of Stafford (b. 1975) (eldest son of the 7th Duke)
- Lord Henry Alexander Egerton (b. 1977) (second and youngest son of the 7th Duke)
- Simon Francis Cavendish Egerton (b. 1949) (great-great-grandson of Admiral Hon. Francis Egerton, second son of the 1st Earl of Ellesmere)
- Fulke Charles Granville Egerton (b. 1952) (younger brother of Simon Egerton)
- Nicholas Egerton (b. 1967) (first cousin of Simon and Fulke Egerton)
- David William Egerton (b. 1930) (uncle of Simon, Fulke and Nicholas Egerton)
- Francis David EgertonFrank EgertonFrancis David Egerton is a British novelist , a tutor of creative writing at Oxford University and an Oxford University librarian. He reviewed fiction and non-fiction for newspapers including The Times and Financial Times from 1995–2008...
(b. 1959) (only son of David Egerton)
Further heirs to the Marquessate of Stafford (and subsidiary titles) only:
- (Granville George) Fergus Leveson-Gower, 6th Earl Granville (b. 1959) (great-great-great-grandson of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl GranvilleGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl GranvilleGranville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville GCB PC , known as Lord Granville Leveson-Gower from 1786 to 1814 and as the Viscount Granville from 1814 to 1833, was a British Whig statesman and diplomat....
, younger son of the 1st Marquess) - George James Leveson-Gower, Lord Leveson (b. 1999) (only son of the 6th Earl Granville)
- Hon. Niall James Leveson-Gower (b. 1963) (younger brother of the 6th Earl Granville)
Further heirs to the Earldom of Gower (and subsidiary titles):
- Major Charles Murrough Leveson-Gower (b. 1933) (great-great-great-great-great grandson of Admiral Hon. John Leveson-GowerJohn Leveson-Gower (1740-1792)John Leveson-Gower was an officer of the Royal Navy and a politician. He saw service during the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence, rising to the rank of rear-admiral...
, younger son of the 1st Earl) - Mark Broke Leveson-Gower (b. 1961) (eldest son of Maj. Charles Murrough Leveson-Gower)
- Henry Boscawen Leveson-Gower (b. 1962) (second and youngest son of Maj. Charles Murrough Leveson-Gower)
See also
- Countess of SutherlandEarl of SutherlandEarl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
- Duke of Bridgewater
- Earl GranvilleEarl GranvilleEarl Granville is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.-First Creation:...
- Earl of Bath (1661 creation)Earl of BathEarl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once Peerage of the United Kingdom...
- Earl of CromartieEarl of CromartieEarl of Cromartie is a title that has been created twice, both times for members of the Mackenzie family. This branch of the family descends from Sir Roderick Mackenzie, whose elder brother Kenneth Mackenzie was created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609 and was the father of Colin Mackenzie, 1st...
- Earl of EllesmereEarl of EllesmereEarl of Ellesmere, of Ellesmere in the County of Shropshire , is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1846 for the Conservative politician Lord Francis Egerton. He was granted the courtesy title of Viscount Brackley, of Brackley in the County of Northampton, at the same...
- Highland ClearancesHighland ClearancesThe Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
- SutherlandSutherlandSutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...