William Compton, 5th Marquess of Northampton

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William George Spencer Scott Compton, 5th Marquess of Northampton KG (23 April 185115 June 1913), known as Lord William Compton from 1877 to 1887 and as Earl Compton from 1887 to 1897, was a British peer and Liberal politician.

Northampton was the second son of Admiral William Compton, 4th Marquess of Northampton, and his wife Eliza (née Elliot). He gained the courtesy title of Earl Compton in 1887 on the death of his elder brother. He served as Private Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Earl Cowper, between 1880 and 1882, and was elected to the House of Commons for Stratford-on-Avon in December 1885. He held this seat until July the following year and then sat for Barnsley from 1889 to 1897. The latter year Northampton succeeded his father in the marquessate and entered the House of Lords. He was later Special Envoy to Foreign Courts to announce the accession of King George V in 1910 and served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire from 1912 to 1913. In 1908 he was made a Knight of the Garter.

Lord Northampton married the Hon. Mary Florence Baring, daughter of William Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton, in 1884. She died in 1902. Northampton survived her by eleven years and died in June 1913, aged 62. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son William.

[edit] References

  • Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
  • Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page


Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon
1885 – 1886
Succeeded by
Frederick Townsend
Preceded by
Courtney Stanhope Kenny
Member of Parliament for Barnsley
1889 – 1897
Succeeded by
Joseph Walton
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Marquess of Hertford
Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
1912 – 1913
Succeeded by
The Earl of Craven
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
William Compton
Marquess of Northampton
2nd creation
1897 – 1913
Succeeded by
William Bingham Compton