William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville

The Right Honourable
The Earl Granville
KG, GCVO, CB, DSO
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
In office
1937–1945
Monarch George VI
Preceded by Sir Montagu Butler
Succeeded by Sir Geoffrey Bromet
2nd Governor of Northern Ireland
In office
1945–1952
Monarch George VI
Preceded by The Duke of Abercorn
Succeeded by The Lord Wakehurst
Personal details
Born William Spencer Leveson-Gower
11 July 1880
Died 25 June 1953
Nationality British
Spouse(s) Lady Rose Constance Bowes-Lyon; 2 children
Religion Anglican
Military service
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Navy
Years of service 1894 - 1935
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands Coast of Scotland
Battles/wars World War I

Vice Admiral Sir William Spencer Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville KG, GCVO, CB, DSO (11 July 1880 – 25 June 1953), styled The Honourable William Leveson-Gower until 1939, was a British naval commander and governor.

Background

Leveson-Gower was the younger son of Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, by his second wife Castila Rosalind Campbell.

Career

After Wixenford School, William Leveson-Gower joined the Royal Navy in 1894.[1] He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant in 1900, Lieutenant in 1902 and Commander in 1913.[1] He served in First World War and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1919.[1]

He was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1924, aide-de-camp to the King in 1929 and Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland in 1931.[1] He was made a Companion of the Bath in 1930 and retired in 1935.[1]

Leveson-Gower became Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man in 1937.[2] In 1939 he succeeded his elder brother in the earldom.[2] Granville was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1945 and became Governor of Northern Ireland in 1945, serving until 1952.[2] He was made a Knight of the Garter that same year.[2]

Family

In 1916, Lord Granville married Lady Rose Constance Bowes-Lyon, the second surviving daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and elder sister of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. They had two children, Mary Cecilia, Lady Clayton (12 December 1917-13 February 2014) and Granville James Leveson-Gower, 5th Earl Granville (6 December 1918 – 31 October 1996). Lord Granville died in June 1953, aged 72. He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. The Countess Granville died in 1967.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville Video". Ovguide.com. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "The Peerage". The Peerage. Retrieved 29 June 2013.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Theodore Hallett
Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland
1931–1933
Succeeded by
Everard Hardman-Jones
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Montagu Butler
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
1937–1945
Succeeded by
Sir Geoffrey Bromet
Political offices
Preceded by
The Duke of Abercorn
Governor of Northern Ireland
1945–1952
Succeeded by
The Lord Wakehurst
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Granville George Leveson-Gower
Earl Granville
2nd creation
1939–1953
Succeeded by
Granville James Leveson-Gower