George Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend

George John Patrick Dominic Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend DL (13 May 1916 – 23 April 2010), styled Viscount Raynham until 1921, was a British peer and businessman.

Background

Townshend was the only son of John Townshend, 6th Marquess Townshend, and Gwladys Ethel Gwendolen Eugenie Sutherst. He notably served as Chairman of Anglia Television from 1958 to 1986. Having held his titles since the death of his father in 1921, as of 2 March 2009 Lord Townshend had held a peerage longer than any other peer in history, having passed the previous mark of 87 years, 104 days, held by Charles St Clair, 13th Lord Sinclair (b. 30 July 1768, succeeded 16 December 1775, d. 30 March 1863).

Family

Lord Townshend married, firstly, Elizabeth Pamela Audrey Luby (d. 1989),[1] daughter of Thomas Luby, on 2 September 1939. They had three children:

After he and his first wife were divorced in 1960, Townshend married, secondly, Ann Frances Darlow (d. 1988),[1] daughter of Arthur Pellow Darlow, on 22 December 1960. They had two children:

Townsend married, thirdly, in 2004, Philippa Sophia Swire (b. 28 April 1935), former wife of Humphrey Roger Swire (1934–2004), and daughter of George Jardine Kidston-Montgomerie of Southannan. Lady Townshend's first husband died in January 2004. She is the mother of the Conservative MP Hugo Swire.[6]

Lord Townshend died aged 93 on 23 April (St George's Day) 2010, having held his peerage for 89 years.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Allan Freer. "Conqueror 89" from The Conqueror database.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Freer, ibid.
  3. 1 2 Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage, 2008
  4. 1 2 "The Raynham Family History. Chapter 15 "The Raynhams of Norfolk" The heir was also alleged to have had a son circa 1987 by the heiress Sarah Deterding, great-granddaughter of Henri Deterding, founder of Royal Dutch Shell; he admitted to a brief affair but refused paternity of the child.
  5. Lundy, Darryl (10 June 2010). "Lady Katherine Ann Townshend". The Peerage. External link in |publisher= (help)
  6. Michael Rhodes, with correction by Michael Andrews-Reading (2004). " Aristocratic marriages, May, 2004", Usenet group alt.talk.royalty, message published 8 May 2004. The initial message read "The Marriage took place at Raynham Hall, Fakenham, Norfolk, 7 May 2004, between George John Patrick Dominic Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend (b. 13 May 1916), son of the 6th Marquess Townshend (1866–1921), by his wife, Gladys Ethel Gwendolen Eugenie Sutherst (d. 1959), & Philippa Sophia (b. 28 April 1935), former wife of Humphrey Roger Swire (1934–2004), of that landed family, and daughter of George Jardine Kidston-Montgomerie of Southannan (recognised in that name by Lyon Court 1948), by his wife, Lydia Cecilia Mason. The Marquess has been twice widowed. His bride is a scion of the Kidston of Redenham Park landed family, and is descended from the 14th Earl of Eglinton. Marchioness Townshend is mother of the Conservative MP Hugo Swire. Her first husband died in January, 2004." Andrews-Reading pointed out on 11 May 2004 that the Marquess's first marriage had ended in divorce, although that wife, mother of his elder son and heir, has since died.

References

External links

Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
John Townshend
Marquess Townshend
1921–2010
Succeeded by
Charles Townshend
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