Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster
Encyclopedia
Gilbert James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster (8 December 1907 – 29 March 1983), styled Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1910 to 1951, was a British
Conservative
politician.
Ancaster was the son of Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster
and Eloise Lawrence Breese. He was educated at Eton
and Magdalene College, Cambridge
. In 1933 he was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Rutland and Stamford
, a seat he held until 1950. From 1933 to 1935 Ancaster was "Baby of the House
", the youngest member of the House of Commons. He served in the Second World War as a Major in the Royal Artillery
, and was mentioned in despatches.
In 1951 Ancaster was summoned to the House of Lords
through a writ of acceleration
in his father's junior title of Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He succeeded as third Earl of Ancaster later that year upon the death of his father. Apart from his political career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
from 1950 to 1975 and Joint Lord Great Chamberlain
from 1951 to 1983.
Lord Ancaster married the Hon. Nancy Phyllis Louise Astor, daughter of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
, in 1933. They had two children, one son and one daughter. His only son and heir apparent
, Timothy, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, went missing at sea off Corsica
in 1963, never to be seen again. Lord Ancaster died in March 1983, aged 75. On his death the earldom and barony of Aveland became extinct, while he was succeeded in the ancient barony of Willoughby de Eresby
by his only daughter Nancy Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, who also succeeded him as joint Lord Great Chamberlain
. Lord Ancaster's baronetcy also survived, and was inherited by his distant relative Gilbert Simon Heathcote.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Ancaster was the son of Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster
Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster
Sir Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 7th Baronet, 2nd Earl of Ancaster, 3rd Baron Aveland, 26th Baron Willoughby de Eresby , known as Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1892 to 1910, was a British Conservative politician....
and Eloise Lawrence Breese. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
. In 1933 he was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Rutland and Stamford
Rutland and Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)
Rutland and Stamford was a county constituency comprising the area centred on the town of Stamford in Lincolnshire, and the county of Rutland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, using the first-past-the-post voting system.The...
, a seat he held until 1950. From 1933 to 1935 Ancaster was "Baby of the House
Baby of the House
Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a parliamentary house. The term is most often applied to members of the British parliament.-Australia:In Australia the term is rarely used...
", the youngest member of the House of Commons. He served in the Second World War as a Major in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, and was mentioned in despatches.
In 1951 Ancaster was summoned to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
through a writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's junior title of Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He succeeded as third Earl of Ancaster later that year upon the death of his father. Apart from his political career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. Since 1660, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Lincolnshire.*Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln 1550/1552–?*Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland 1551–1563?...
from 1950 to 1975 and Joint Lord Great Chamberlain
Lord Great Chamberlain
The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable...
from 1951 to 1983.
Lord Ancaster married the Hon. Nancy Phyllis Louise Astor, daughter of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor was an American-born British politician and newspaper proprietor.-Early life:...
, in 1933. They had two children, one son and one daughter. His only son and heir apparent
Heir apparent
An 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....
, Timothy, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, went missing at sea off Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
in 1963, never to be seen again. Lord Ancaster died in March 1983, aged 75. On his death the earldom and barony of Aveland became extinct, while he was succeeded in the ancient barony of Willoughby de Eresby
Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Baron Willoughby de Eresby is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by writ in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby of Eresby Manor, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire. The fourteenth Baron was created Earl of Lindsey in 1626. His great-grandson, the fourth Earl and seventeenth Baron, was created...
by his only daughter Nancy Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, who also succeeded him as joint Lord Great Chamberlain
Lord Great Chamberlain
The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable...
. Lord Ancaster's baronetcy also survived, and was inherited by his distant relative Gilbert Simon Heathcote.