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:

• Lady Carolyn Elizabeth Ann Townshend (b. 27 September 1940), married 1stly 1962 (divorced 1971), Antonio Capellini and had issue, one son (who has taken the name of Capellini Townshend).
  • Vincenzo Capellini Townshend (b. March 1963), married Rachael Daniels (b. September 1963) in 1994 and has issue living: Luca George Capellini Townshend (b. January 1995), Sofia Elizabeth Capellini Townshend (June-1996), Luisa Carolyn Capellini Townshend (August-1998).
• Lady Joanna Agnes Townshend (b. 19 August 1943), married firstly in 1962 (divorced 1968), Jeremy Bradford and had issue, one son. She married secondly in 1978 (divorced 1984), James Morrisey. She married thirdly in 1991 Christian Marc Boegnor.^[2]
• Charles Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend (b. 26 September 1945), married 1975 Hermione Ponsonby (1945–1985, died in a motor accident), daughter of Lt. Cmdr. Robert Martin Dominic Ponsonby, RN, of the Earls of Bessborough, by whom he had issue, 1 son (b. 1977)^[3] and 1 daughter. He remarried in 1990, Alison Marshall, née Combs, d. of Sir Willis Ide Combs, KCVO, CMG.^[2][4]

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:

• Lord John Townshend (b. 17 June 1962); married September 1987^[4] (div. 1991), Rachel Lucy Chapple, d. of Field Marshal Sir John Lyon Chapple, GCB, CBE, with apparently no issue.^[2] He remarried Helen M Burt in 1999, with a daughter born in 2001 and a son born in 2003.^[3]
• Lady Katherine Townshend (b. 29 September 1963); married firstly in 1991 Piers Dent, son of Robin Dent and had issue, two daughters. She married, secondly, in 2001 Guy Bayley by whom she had two more daughters.^[5]

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. Allan Freer. "Conqueror 89" from The Conqueror database.
2. Freer, ibid.
3. Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage, 2008
4. "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.
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

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• Lundy, Darryl (10 June 2010). "Lady Katherine Ann Townshend". The Peerage. Allan Freer. "Conqueror 89" from The Conqueror database, in an older version.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Marquess Townshend