Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer
Encyclopedia
Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer (23 May 1892 – 9 June 1975), styled The Honourable Albert Spencer until 1910 and as Viscount Althorp from 1910 to 1922, and known less formally as "Jack" Spencer, was a British peer
. He was the paternal grandfather of Diana Spencer
, who was just under 14 years old at the time of his death and would go on to marry Charles, Prince of Wales
, heir to the British throne, six years later.
Lord Spencer was born in London, the son of Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer
and his wife, the former Margaret Baring, second daughter of Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke
. His godparents included King Edward VII
.
After his education at Harrow School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, Lord Spencer served in the First World War
as a Captain in the First Life Guards, and was active in the local politics of Northamptonshire
as a Conservative
councillor. He opened his ancestral home, Althorp
, to the public and was a well-known art connoisseur, being a trustee of the Wallace Collection
and chairman of the Royal School of Needlework
. He was a Fellow of both the Society of Antiquaries of London
and the Royal Society of Arts
, and for eight years in the 1960s he was Chair of the Advisory Council of the Victoria and Albert Museum
. Spencer was active in the Territorial Army for 43 years from 1924. He was Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire from 1952 to 1967, and Chairman of the Governors at Wellingborough School
from 1946 to 1972..
Lord Spencer married Lady Cynthia Hamilton
, second daughter of the 3rd Duke of Abercorn
in 1919 and they had two children:
Lord Spencer died at St Matthews Nursing Home, Northampton
after a short illness, and was succeeded by his son, John, the father of Diana, Princess of Wales
.
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
. He was the paternal grandfather of Diana Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, who was just under 14 years old at the time of his death and would go on to marry Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, heir to the British throne, six years later.
Lord Spencer was born in London, the son of Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer
Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer
Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer KG, GCVO, PC, VRD , styled The Honourable Charles Spencer until 1905 and known as The Viscount Althorp between 1905 and 1910, was a British courtier and Liberal politician. An MP from 1880 to 1895 and again from 1900 to 1905, he served as Vice-Chamberlain of...
and his wife, the former Margaret Baring, second daughter of Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke
Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke
Edward Charles Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke , was a British banker.-Biography:A member of the famous Baring banking family, "Ned" Baring was the second son of Henry Baring from his second marriage, to Cecilia Anne . Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, was his grandfather and Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of...
. His godparents included King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
.
After his education at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Lord Spencer served in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a Captain in the First Life Guards, and was active in the local politics of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
councillor. He opened his ancestral home, Althorp
Althorp
Althorp is a country estate of about and a stately home in Northamptonshire, England. It is about north-west of the county town of Northampton. The late Diana, Princess of Wales is buried in the estate.-History:...
, to the public and was a well-known art connoisseur, being a trustee of the Wallace Collection
Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection is a museum in London, with a world-famous range of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with large holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms & armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 25 galleries.It was established in...
and chairman of the Royal School of Needlework
Royal School of Needlework
The Royal School of Needlework is a hand embroidery school in the United Kingdom, founded in 1872.It has an archive of over 30,000 images covering every period of British history...
. He was a Fellow of both the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
and the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
, and for eight years in the 1960s he was Chair of the Advisory Council of the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
. Spencer was active in the Territorial Army for 43 years from 1924. He was Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire from 1952 to 1967, and Chairman of the Governors at Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School is an independent fee-paying day school in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. It was established in 1595 and is one of the oldest schools in the country.-History:...
from 1946 to 1972..
Lord Spencer married Lady Cynthia Hamilton
Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer
Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Spencer, Countess Spencer, DCVO, OBE , known as Lady Cynthia Hamilton until her marriage, and from then as Viscountess Althorp until 1922 when her husband inherited his father's title of Earl Spencer, was a British peeress and the paternal grandmother of Diana, Princess of...
, second daughter of the 3rd Duke of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn
James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn KG, KP, PC , styled Marquess of Hamilton between 1885 and 1913, was a British peer and Unionist politician. He was the first Governor of Northern Ireland, a post he held between 1922 and 1945...
in 1919 and they had two children:
- Anne Spencer (b.1920)
- John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer (1924–1992)
Lord Spencer died at St Matthews Nursing Home, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
after a short illness, and was succeeded by his son, John, the father of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
.