Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster KGThe Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
,
PCHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(27 January 1795 – 31 October 1869), styled
Viscount Belgrave from 1802 to 1831 and
Earl Belgrave from 1831 to 1845, was an
EnglishEngland 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...
politician, landowner, property developer and benefactor.
Background and education
Grosvenor was born at Millbank House,
WestminsterWestminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
,
LondonLondon 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...
, the eldest of the three sons of
Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of WestminsterRobert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster, KG was the son of the 1st Earl Grosvenor, whom he succeeded in 1802 as 2nd Earl Grosvenor. He was created Marquess of Westminster in 1831. He was an English Member of Parliament and an ancestor of the modern day Dukes of Westminster...
and Lady Eleanor Egerton. He was educated at
Westminster SchoolThe Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and
Christ Church, OxfordChrist Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
where he graduated MA. He undertook the
Grand TourThe Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
in 1815.
Political and public life
In 1818 Grosvenor was elected as Whig MP for Chester and was later appointed as a
Justice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. In 1830 he was elected MP for
CheshireCheshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentiary constituency for the county of Cheshire. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832.As a county...
until the constituency was divided in 1832, and from then until 1834 he represented
South CheshireSouth Cheshire was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was created upon the division of Cheshire in 1832. In 1868, it was abolished with North Cheshire to form parts of East Cheshire, Mid Cheshire, and West Cheshire.-Members of Parliament:...
. He was
Lord Lieutenant of CheshireThis is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire. Since 1689, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Cheshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Cheshire:-References:*-External links:*...
from 1845 to 1867 and
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household, in England, is an important official of the Royal Household. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government...
between 1850 and 1852 in the Whig administration headed by
Lord John RussellJohn Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
. On 22 March 1850 he was admitted to the Privy Council. He was presented with the
Order of the GarterThe Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
on 6 July 1857. Of his political activity it is said that "he seldom spoke in the
House of LordsThe 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....
".
Development of the estate
Grosvenor "devoted himself ... to the improvement of his London property", and added to his properties in Dorset and Cheshire; he was described as being a "model landlord". Eaton Hall had been rebuilt in flamboyant
GothicThe Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style for his father by
William PordenWilliam Porden was a versatile English architect. Born in Kingston upon Hull, he trained under James Wyatt and Samuel Pepys Cockerell....
. Grosvenor commissioned the Scottish architect
William BurnWilliam Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
to make alterations to it, including raising the centre of the south front to make it look like a tower. Burn also designed Fonthill House for him in Scottish Baronial style. On his estates Grosvenor built farms, schools and "numerous" cottages. Among his schools were the Bishopsfield Schools in
HooleHoole is a suburb in the east of Chester, in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.-History:The settlement was first mentioned in the Register of the Abbey of Saint Werburgh in 1119...
, Chester.
Personality and personal interests
Grosvenor continued the family interest in horse racing and, when he was living in the country estate, he spent time hunting and fishing. He gave generously to charity, and built and restored churches. He was an early patron of the
ChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
architect
John DouglasJohn Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
. In 1865–66 Douglas designed
St John's ChurchSt John the Baptist's Church, Aldford is located in the village of Aldford, Cheshire, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of...
for him in his estate village of
AldfordAldford is a village and civil parish in the county of Cheshire, England, south of Chester . It has a population of 213.The village lies on the east bank of the River Dee...
. About the same time Grosvenor gave fields in Chester to the city council for the formation of
Grosvenor ParkGrosvenor Park is a public park in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England . It consists of of land overlooking the River Dee. It is regarded as one of the finest and most complete examples of Victorian parks in the North West of England, if not nationally...
. For this park Douglas designed a number of items, including the Entrance Lodge, the gates, and a cover for
Billy Hobby's WellBilly Hobby's Well is in Grosvenor Park, Chester, Cheshire, England. Its canopy has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building.-History:...
. In 1865 the citizens of Chester began to raise money for the erection of a statue "to mark the public and private worth of his lordship, and the high estimation in which he is held by his neighbours and tenants, as well as by all classes of the community". Over £5,000 (£ as of ) was raised. The statue showing the marquess in his garter robes was designed by
Thomas ThornycroftThomas Thornycroft was an English sculptor and engineer.-Biography:Thomas Thornycroft was born near Gawsworth, Cheshire, the eldest son of John Thornycroft, a farmer. He was educated at Congleton Grammar School and then briefly apprenticed to a surgeon. He moved to London where he spent four...
, and erected in 1869; it still stands in Grosvenor Park.
Grosvenor's parents had instilled "high moral principles" in their children, and these stayed with Richard throughout his life. He has been described as "of austere character and unswerving devotion to duty as family man, politician and landlord". His
obituaryAn obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
in
The TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
says "he administered his vast estate with a combination of intelligence and generosity not often witnessed".
Family
Lord Westminster married Lady Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, younger daughter of
George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of StaffordGeorge 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...
(later
1st Duke of SutherlandDuke of Sutherland, derived from Sutherland in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom held by the head of the Leveson-Gower family. It was created by William IV in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford...
), in 1819. Following their marriage, Westminster and his wife initially lived at Eaton Hall,
CheshireCheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the family's country house, with Lord and Lady Grosvenor. During the London
seasonThe social season or Season has historically referred to the annual period when it is customary for members of the a social elite of society to hold debutante balls, dinner parties and large charity events...
, from April each year, the family moved to live in
Grosvenor HouseGrosvenor House was one of the largest private townhouses situated on London's exclusive Park Lane in the district of Mayfair. The house was the home of the Grosvenor family for more than a century...
. In 1827 the couple visited Norway, Sweden and Russia and in 1835–36 they toured through Germany and Italy. In 1883 they moved into Motcombe House,
DorsetDorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, in one of the family's estates. When the 1st Marquess died in 1845 they followed the family tradition of using Eaton Hall as their country house and Grosvenor House as their London residence, where they entertained lavishly.
Lord Westminster and his wife had thirteen children, ten of whom survived in to adulthood and three of whom lived into their nineties. Their second son
Hugh Lupus GrosvenorHugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster KG, PC, JP , styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845 and Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869 and known as the 3rd Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an English landowner, politician and racehorse owner.He inherited the estate of...
succeeded him as 3rd Marquess; he was later created
Duke of WestminsterThe title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. The current holder of the title is Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster....
. Their youngest son
Lord Richard GrosvenorRichard de Aquila Grosvenor, 1st Baron Stalbridge PC , styled Lord Richard Grosvenor between 1845 and 1886, was a British politician and businessman. Initially a Liberal, he served under William Ewart Gladstone as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household between 1872 and 1874 and as Parliamentary...
was ennobled as
Baron StalbridgeBaron Stalbridge, of Stalbridge in the County of Dorset, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 22 March 1886 for the politician and businessman Lord Richard Grosvenor. He was the third son of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster...
.
- Lady Eleanor Grosvenor (22 October 1820-4 May 1911); m. Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland
Admiral Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland KG, PC, FRS , styled Lord Algernon Percy until 1816 and known as The Lord Prudhoe between 1816 and 1847, was a British naval commander, explorer and Conservative politician.-Background:Northumberland was the younger son of General Hugh Percy, 2nd...
.
- Lady Mary Frances Grosvenor (2 December 1821-2 January 1912); m. Thomas Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield
Thomas Augustus Wolstenholme Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield was a British peer. Before inheriting the earldom, he sat in the House of Commons as Conservative Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire from 1837 until 1841....
.
- Gilbert Grosvenor (10 April 1823-2 January 1824).
- Lady Elizabeth Grosvenor (9 July 1824-16 December 1899), married Beilby Lawley, 2nd Baron Wenlock
Beilby Richard Lawley, 2nd Baron Wenlock was an English nobleman, eldest son of Paul Thompson, 1st Baron Wenlock and 8th Baronet...
.
- Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster (13 October 1825-22 December 1899).
- Lady Evelyn Grosvenor (16 December 1826-25 January 1839).
- Lady Caroline Amelia Grosvenor (14 June 1828-24 March 1906); m. William Leigh, 2nd Baron Leigh.
- Lady Octavia Grosvenor (22 September 1829-29 May 1921); m. Col. Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet.
- Lady Agnes Grosvenor (24 January 1831-22 January 1909); m. Sir Archibald Campbell, 3rd Baronet.
- Lord Gilbert Norman Grosvenor (6 January 1833-20 March 1854).
- Lady Jane Louisa Octavia Grosvenor (29 August 1834-13 July 1921); m. firstly, Gamel Pennington, 4th Baron Muncaster; m. secondly, Hugh Lindsay.
- Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baron Stalbridge
Richard de Aquila Grosvenor, 1st Baron Stalbridge PC , styled Lord Richard Grosvenor between 1845 and 1886, was a British politician and businessman. Initially a Liberal, he served under William Ewart Gladstone as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household between 1872 and 1874 and as Parliamentary...
(28 January 1837-18 May 1912).
- Lady Theodora Grosvenor (7 July 1840-24 March 1924; m. Thomas Guest.
Lord Westminster died at Fonthill House,
Fonthill GiffordFonthill Gifford is a village in Wiltshire, England. Its population has dwindled from 493 in the 1801 Census to 120 in the 2001 Census.The current Church of England parish church of All Saints was built in 1864–66 to designs by the Gothic Revival architect T.H. Wyatt...
in
WiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
on 31 October 1869 after a short illness and was buried in the family vault in
St Mary's Church, EcclestonSt Mary's Church, Eccleston, is in the village of Eccleston, Cheshire, England, on the estate of the Duke of Westminster south of Chester. The church is designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the...
. His wealth at death is recorded as being under £800,000
(£ as of ).
External links