Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton

Last updated

Gilian Soames
(m. 1957;div. 1962)
Kyra Aslin
(m. 1963;div. 1973)
Suzanne Suckling
(m. 1974;died 2018)
The Earl of Wilton
Earl of Wilton COA.svg
Earl of Wilton
Assumed office
1999
Children
  • Julian, Viscount Grey de Wilton
  • Lady Georgina Mitev
Parents
Alma mater Melbourne University

Francis Egerton Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton (born 8 February 1934), also known as Lord Francis Ebury, [1] is an Anglo-Australian aristocrat, and academic.

Contents

Early life

Lord Wilton is the eldest son of Robert Egerton Grosvenor, 5th Baron Ebury, DSO, and his first wife, Anne Acland-Troyte. Lord Wilton succeeded his father as 6th Baron Ebury in 1957 and his fourth cousin, Seymour Egerton, as 8th Earl of Wilton in 1999.

As the great-great-great-grandson of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster, Lord Wilton is also heir presumptive to the title Marquess of Westminster currently held by Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, Lord Wilton's fourth cousin-once-removed. Lord Wilton's stepfather from 1941-1947 was Henry Peregrine Hoare (1901-1981), son of Lady Geraldine Mariana Hoare (née Hervey, 1869-1955) and great great-uncle of Olivia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster. [2] [3]

Career

Educated at Eton College, he pursued a career in the financial services industry in London, Melbourne and Hong Kong, before taking a doctorate in Philosophy-Arts at Melbourne University (2001), where he taught as Dr Francis Ebury. [4]

Lord Wilton served on the Board of Directors of Victorian Opera (Melbourne) 2012–17. [5]

Marriages and children

Lord Wilton has married three times. He was married firstly on 10 December 1957 to Gillian Elfrida Astley Soames (marriage dissolved 1962). They had one son:

Secondly, he married Kyra Aslin on 8 March 1963 (marriage dissolved 1973) without issue.

Thirdly, he married Suzanne Jean Suckling in 1974. They remained married until her death 44 years later and had one daughter:

His third wife was a biographer who wrote under the name "Sue Ebury": The Many Lives of Kenneth Myer; Weary the Life of Sir Edward Dunlop, Weary: King Of The River. An editor and publisher, Lady Wilton was also a member of the Development Council of the National Library of Australia and patron of the Australian Garden History Society.

Styles

Related Research Articles

A courtesy title is a form of address and/or reference in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer, as well as certain officials such as some judges and members of the Scottish gentry. These styles are used "by courtesy" in the sense that persons referred to by these titles do not in law hold the substantive title. There are several different kinds of courtesy titles in the British peerage system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke of Westminster</span> Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Duke of Westminster is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. It is the most recent dukedom conferred on someone not related to the British royal family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Lichfield</span> Earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl of Lichfield is a title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1831). The third creation is extant and is held by a member of the Anson family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke of Atholl</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray

Duke of Atholl, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of his father, the 1st Marquess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Coventry</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Coventry is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation for the Villiers family was created in 1623 and took its name from the city of Coventry. It became extinct in 1687. A decade later, the second creation was for the Coventry family and is still extant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Dunmore</span> Peerage of Scotland title

Earl of Dunmore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Wilton</span> Earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County of Herefordshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for Thomas Egerton, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton, along with the subsidiary title of Viscount Grey de Wilton, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Both titles were created with remainder to the second and all younger sons successively of his daughter Eleanor, wife of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Bridgewater</span>

Earl of Bridgewater was a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England, once for the Daubeny family (1538) and once for the Egerton family (1617). From 1720 to 1803, the Earls of Bridgewater also held the title of Duke of Bridgewater. The 3rd Duke of Bridgewater is famously known as the "Canal Duke", for his creation of a series of canals in North West England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Grey de Wilton</span> Barony in the Peerage of Great Britain

Baron Grey de Wilton is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England (1295) and once in the Peerage of Great Britain (1784). The first creation was forfeit and the second creation is extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton</span> British politician & peer (1799-1882)

Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton, GCH, PC, known as Thomas Grosvenor until 1814, was a British nobleman and Tory politician. He served as Lord Steward of the Household in 1835 in Sir Robert Peel's first government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Ebury</span> Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Baron Ebury, of Ebury Manor in the County of Middlesex, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that dates from 1857. In 1999, it became a subsidiary title of the earldom of Wilton after the 6th Baron Ebury inherited the earldom from his distant cousin, the 7th Earl of Wilton.

The Egerton, laterGrey Egerton, later stillEgerton baronetcy, of Egerton and Oulton in the county of Chester, is a title in the Baronetage of England held by the senior patrilineal branch of the Egerton family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton</span>

Thomas Grey Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton, known as Sir Thomas Grey Egerton, Bt from 1766 to 1784, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1772 to 1784 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Grey de Wilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury</span> British courtier and Whig politician

Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury PC, styled Lord Robert Grosvenor from 1831 to 1857, was a British courtier and Whig politician. He served as Comptroller of the Household between 1830 and 1834 and as Treasurer of the Household between 1846 and 1847. In 1857 he was ennobled as Baron Ebury.

Robert Egerton Grosvenor, 5th Baron Ebury, DSO TD, was a British peer, military officer and racing driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Grosvenor, 2nd Baron Ebury</span> British politician

Robert Wellesley Grosvenor, 2nd Baron Ebury was a British politician.

Captain The Honourable Norman de l'Aigle Grosvenor, was a British Liberal Party politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egerton family</span> British aristocratic family

The Egerton family is a British aristocratic family. Over time, several members of the Egerton family were made Dukes, Earls, knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the Egerton family include the dukedoms of Bridgewater (1720–1803) and Sutherland, as well as the earldoms of Bridgewater (1617–1829), Wilton (1801–1999) and Egerton (1897–1909). Several other members of the family have also risen to prominence. The Egerton family motto is Virtuti non armis fido.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Wignall</span> English socialite and author (1912-1982)

Anne Wignall, known as Baroness Ebury and Lady Ebury, was an English socialite and author known as Alice Acland and Anne Marreco.

Olivia Grace Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, is a British aristocrat. Upon her marriage to the 7th Duke of Westminster in June 2024, she became the tenth Duchess of Westminster.

References

  1. "Our Patrons". Melbourne Recital Centre. Retrieved 15 May 2023. Our Patrons : Dr Victor Wayne & Dr Karen Wayne OAM. $1,000+ ... Lord Francis Ebury & the late Lady Suzanne Ebury
  2. Ward, Victoria (7 June 2024). "Duke of Westminster's Marquess title safe thanks to bride's distant relative". UK Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  3. Morris, Susan (2020). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Debrett's. p. 4797. ISBN   978-1-9997670-5-1 . Retrieved 19 May 2022. Wilton, Earl of - ([current earl is] Francis Edgerton Grosvenor) ...born 1934...8th Earl of Wilton in 1999...h[heir] p[presumptive] to the Marquessate of Westminster...[Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster is a fourth cousin of Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton]...
  4. University of Melbourne: Publications (Dr Francis Ebury)
  5. www.victorianopera.com.au
  6. www.endeavor.bg
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl of Wilton
1999–present
Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Julian Grosvenor,
Viscount Grey de Wilton
Preceded by Baron Ebury
1957–present