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Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster

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The Duke of Westminster
Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh
In office
7 February 1977 – 19 February 1979
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byThomas Scott
Succeeded byThe Dowager Duchess of Westminster
Member of the House of Lords
as Duke of Westminster
In office
25 February 1967 – 19 February 1979
Preceded byGerald Grosvenor (IV)
Succeeded byGerald Grosvenor (VI)
Member of Parliament
for Fermanagh and South Tyrone
In office
2 September 1955 – 25 September 1964
Preceded byPhilip Clarke
Succeeded byMarquess of Hamilton
Personal details
Born
Robert George Grosvenor

(1910-04-24)24 April 1910
Died19 February 1979(1979-02-19) (aged 68)
Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Spouse
(m. 1946)
ChildrenLeonora Anson, Countess of Lichfield
Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster
Lady Jane Dawnay
Parent(s)Lord Hugh Grosvenor
Lady Mabel Crichton
Residence(s)Eaton Hall, Cheshire
Ely Lodge, Enniskillen
OccupationBritish Army officer and politician
AwardsEfficiency Decoration and clasp (TD)
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1938–1960
RankLieutenant Colonel
Unit11th (City of London) Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade
City of London Yeomanry
North Irish Horse
Battles/warsWorld War II

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert George Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster, TD, JP, DL (24 April 1910 – 19 February 1979) was a British soldier, landowner, businessman and politician. In the 1970s he was the richest man in Britain.

Background and early life

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Grosvenor was born Mr. Robert Grosvenor, younger son of Lord Hugh Grosvenor, himself the sixth son and tenth child of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster by his second wife, the Hon. Katherine Cavendish, daughter of William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham. Grosvenor's mother, Lady Mabel Crichton, was the daughter of John Crichton, 4th Earl Erne.

Grosvenor was educated at Eton College, an all-boys public boarding school in Berkshire. He was a member of the school's contingent of the junior division of the Officer Training Corps. He reached the rank of cadet lance corporal.[1]

Military career

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On 28 June 1938, Grosvenor was commissioned into the 11th (City of London Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade, a newly formed Territorial Army unit of the Royal Artillery, as a second lieutenant.[1] He ended World War II as a war substantive major.[2]

On 1 May 1947, he transferred to the reformed City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders) and was promoted from his pre-war substantive rank of second lieutenant to major with seniority from 24 April 1944. His service number was 76151.[2] He transferred to the North Irish Horse on 1 May 1949.[3] On 11 November 1949, he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (TD) for long service with the Territorial Army.[4] He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 15 February 1953.[5] He was awarded a clasp to his Efficiency Decoration on 26 October 1954.[6] On 14 February 1956, he moved from the Active List to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers.[7] He resigned his commission on 15 April 1960 and was permitted to retain the rank of lieutenant colonel.[8]

Political career

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Grosvenor lived in Northern Ireland most of his life at Ely Lodge, Blaney, on an island in the middle of Lough Erne. In 1952 he was appointed High Sheriff of Fermanagh.[9]

In the 1955 general election, he was elected to Parliament as member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone. Re-elected in 1959, he retired in 1964, he was succeeded by his cousin, the Marquess of Hamilton. In parliament he stuck mainly to constituency issues, but was responsible for a bill to help increase adoptions, which became the Adoption Act 1964. He was described in his successor's maiden speech as popular and well-liked.

Peerage

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At birth, as a son of the younger son of a peer, Grosvenor was entitled to no title or courtesy title at all. In 1963, his cousin William Grosvenor, 3rd Duke of Westminster died and Grosvenor's elder brother Gerald became 4th Duke. At this point, since he was likely to succeed his brother in the peerage, a Royal Warrant of Precedence was issued to allow Grosvenor to adopt the style of Lord Robert Grosvenor. Upon his brother's death in 1967, Robert duly became 5th Duke of Westminster. Although he took his seat in the House of Lords, he never spoke, something surprising in view of his political career. Westminster (as he was now known) was appointed honorary colonel of the North Irish Horse in 1971.

Personal life

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On 3 December 1946, he married his second cousin, Hon. Viola Maud Lyttelton,[citation needed] a daughter of the 9th Viscount Cobham. They had three children:

Death and legacy

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Grave of Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster
The 5th Duke of Westminster's memorial in Eccleston Church

Grosvenor died on 19 February 1979 at Ely Lodge near Enniskillen in Northern Ireland. He was buried in the churchyard of Eccleston Church near Eaton Hall, Cheshire.

The Duke had ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. He is memorialized at St Mary's Church, Eccleston.

References

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  1. ^ a b "No. 34527". The London Gazette. 1 July 1938. p. 4245.
  2. ^ a b "No. 38119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 November 1947. p. 5294.
  3. ^ "No. 38641". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 1949. p. 2990.
  4. ^ "No. 38757". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 November 1949. p. 5351.
  5. ^ "No. 39781". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 February 1953. p. 1023.
  6. ^ "No. 40307". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 October 1954. p. 6049.
  7. ^ "No. 40744". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 March 1956. p. 1954.
  8. ^ "No. 42043". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 May 1960. p. 3726.
  9. ^ "No. 1593". The Belfast Gazette. 4 January 1952. p. 2.
  10. ^ Times, NY (30 December 1971). "66 Young Women Presented At International Debutante Ball". New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
[edit]
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone
19551964
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh
1977–1979
Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Duke of Westminster
1967–1979
Succeeded by