Edward Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry
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Edward Charles Stewart Robert "Robin" Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry, DL
(18 November 1902 – 17 October 1955) was an Irish peer and politician.
Educated at Eton College
he was the only son of Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry and Edith Helen Chaplin
.
He worked as honorary attaché
to the British
Embassy in Rome
and as a director of Londonderry Collieries, the family's coal mining company. A keen football
fan, he was first a director, and then later chairman of Arsenal Football Club
from 1939 to 1946.
A portrait of him painted in 1911 as a pageboy at the coronation
of King Edward VII by Philip de Laszlo hangs at Mount Stewart
, County Down
, the Londonderry ancestral seat in Northern Ireland
.
Known formally by his courtesy title Viscount Castlereagh and as Robin by friends and family, he was an accomplished public speaker and was Unionist Member of Parliament
(MP) for County Down
in the British House of Commons
between 1931 and 1945. He succeeded his father as Marquess of Londonderry in 1949.
He was married in 1931 to Romaine Combe (d. 1951), daughter of Major Boyce Combe, of Farnham
, Surrey
, and had issue:
Lord Londonderry was a celebrated host and practical joker, apparently once decorating the Christmas tree at Wynyard with condoms to startle a visiting cleric. He was also an attentive husband and devoted father to his children, entertaining them with stories and tales for hours on end. Also regarded as slightly eccentric, on one occasion Lord Londonderry had taken to his bed after a few drinks too many, when Mrs Billy Graham, wife of the evangelist, came to call. Although informed that His Lordship was "indisposed", Mrs Graham insisted upon immediate admission to his bedroom,
having "come all the way on Billy's account". She was duly announced. Lord Londonderry threw aside the bed-sheets and shouted, "Get in."
But he had an awkward and distant relationship with his parents, especially his father. The two men took opposite sympathies during industrial disputes over the family coal mines and most notably during the general strike
in 1926. When he was married to Romaine, a brewer's daughter, his family viewed the union with disdain. It was a very happy marriage by all accounts, but tragedy struck when Lady Londonderry died from cancer and Lord Londonderry plunged into depression and alcoholism.
"Daddy changed, literally overnight, into a complete drunk," she (Lady Annabel Goldsmith) remembers. "It was awful. He would collapse while making speeches to the cricket club, that kind of thing. He was on the bottle night and day."
Lord Londonderry died from liver failure on 17 October 1955 aged 52. He was buried alongside his wife at Wynyard Park
and both were later reinterred in the Londonderry family vault at St. Mary's Church, Long Newton, County Durham.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(18 November 1902 – 17 October 1955) was an Irish peer and politician.
Educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
he was the only son of Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry and Edith Helen Chaplin
Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry
Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry DBE was a noted socialite and philanthropist in the United Kingdom between World War I and World War II.-Family:...
.
He worked as honorary attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Embassy in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and as a director of Londonderry Collieries, the family's coal mining company. A keen football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
fan, he was first a director, and then later chairman of Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
from 1939 to 1946.
A portrait of him painted in 1911 as a pageboy at the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of King Edward VII by Philip de Laszlo hangs at Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, the Londonderry ancestral seat in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Known formally by his courtesy title Viscount Castlereagh and as Robin by friends and family, he was an accomplished public speaker and was Unionist Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
between 1931 and 1945. He succeeded his father as Marquess of Londonderry in 1949.
He was married in 1931 to Romaine Combe (d. 1951), daughter of Major Boyce Combe, of Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and had issue:
- Lady Jane Antonia Frances Vane-Tempest-Stewart (b. 1932), who married Max Rayne, Baron RayneMax RayneMax Rayne, Baron Rayne was a supporter of medical, religious, education and arts charities in England.-Early life:...
in 1965, and has issue. - Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-StewartLady Annabel GoldsmithLady Annabel Goldsmith is a British socialite and the eponym for a celebrated London nightclub of the late 20th century, Annabel's. She was first married for two decades to entrepreneur Mark Birley, the creator of Annabel's, which she helped make a glamorous success as her husband's inaugural...
(b. 1934). - Alexander Charles Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry (b. 1937).
Lord Londonderry was a celebrated host and practical joker, apparently once decorating the Christmas tree at Wynyard with condoms to startle a visiting cleric. He was also an attentive husband and devoted father to his children, entertaining them with stories and tales for hours on end. Also regarded as slightly eccentric, on one occasion Lord Londonderry had taken to his bed after a few drinks too many, when Mrs Billy Graham, wife of the evangelist, came to call. Although informed that His Lordship was "indisposed", Mrs Graham insisted upon immediate admission to his bedroom,
having "come all the way on Billy's account". She was duly announced. Lord Londonderry threw aside the bed-sheets and shouted, "Get in."
But he had an awkward and distant relationship with his parents, especially his father. The two men took opposite sympathies during industrial disputes over the family coal mines and most notably during the general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
in 1926. When he was married to Romaine, a brewer's daughter, his family viewed the union with disdain. It was a very happy marriage by all accounts, but tragedy struck when Lady Londonderry died from cancer and Lord Londonderry plunged into depression and alcoholism.
"Daddy changed, literally overnight, into a complete drunk," she (Lady Annabel Goldsmith) remembers. "It was awful. He would collapse while making speeches to the cricket club, that kind of thing. He was on the bottle night and day."
Lord Londonderry died from liver failure on 17 October 1955 aged 52. He was buried alongside his wife at Wynyard Park
Wynyard Park, County Durham
Wynyard Park, sometimes known as Wynyard Hall is a large country house in County Durham, England. The house used to be the family seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry, an Anglo-Irish aristocratic dynasty, but it was sold in the 1980s.-The house:Designed by Philip Wyatt...
and both were later reinterred in the Londonderry family vault at St. Mary's Church, Long Newton, County Durham.