Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Duke of Leinster
Encyclopedia
Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Duke of Leinster (27 May 1914 – 3 December 2004) was an Irish
nobleman.
by his first wife May Etheridge. He inherited the title on the death of his father in 1976.
Educated at Eton
, he spent most of his childhood being cared for by Lady Maurice FitzGerald, an aunt of his father, at Johnstone Castle
, County Wexford
, where he enjoyed riding and hunting. He was given the courtesy title
of Marquess of Kildare in 1922 when his father inherited the Leinster titles. He became a cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and took a commission in the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, with whom he served as a major in the Second World War. He was invalided out of the Army after being wounded in Normandy.
After the war he tried to farm the estate at Kilkea Castle
, County Kildare, Ireland, but it proved unprofitable, and in the early 1960s he moved to Oxfordshire
and worked in the aviation industry. It was at his Oxfordshire home that, in 1976, the police were called to prevent his father making off with over £100,000 by way of a painting by Joshua Reynolds
and a tapestry. His father died the same year; however he was prevented from receiving his title due to an American-based impostor claiming to be the son of his father's elder brother, Desmond (d. 1916).
Similarly, in 1999, the Duke failed in his attempts to prevent a half-brother being formally recognised in both Debrett's Peerage and Burke's Peerage. This man, Adrian FitzGerald, was the illegitimate son of the 7th Duke by Yvonne Probyn, great-niece of Sir Dighton Probyn, VC, Keeper of the Privy Purse
to Edward VII.
The marriage was dissolved by divorce in 1946
On 12 June 1946 he married, secondly, Anne Eustace Smith (b. 6 May 1922), with whom he had two sons:
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
nobleman.
Biography
The 8th Duke of Leinster was the first son of the 7th DukeEdward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster
Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster, etc. , known as Lord Edward FitzGerald before 1922 was Ireland's Premier Peer of the Realm.-Life:...
by his first wife May Etheridge. He inherited the title on the death of his father in 1976.
Educated at Eton
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 spent most of his childhood being cared for by Lady Maurice FitzGerald, an aunt of his father, at Johnstone Castle
Johnstone Castle
Johnstone Castle is a structure and former mansion in the town of Johnstone in Renfrewshire, Scotland.It belonged to the Houstouns of Milliken, who acquired the estate of Easter Cochrane in 1773...
, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, where he enjoyed riding and hunting. He was given the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Marquess of Kildare in 1922 when his father inherited the Leinster titles. He became a cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and took a commission in the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, with whom he served as a major in the Second World War. He was invalided out of the Army after being wounded in Normandy.
After the war he tried to farm the estate at Kilkea Castle
Kilkea Castle
Kilkea Castle is located just northwest of Castledermot, County Kildare, Ireland near the village of Kilkea on the R418 regional road from Athy to Tullow. It was a medieval stronghold of the Fitzgeralds, earls of Kildare.- History of the Castle :...
, County Kildare, Ireland, but it proved unprofitable, and in the early 1960s he moved to Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and worked in the aviation industry. It was at his Oxfordshire home that, in 1976, the police were called to prevent his father making off with over £100,000 by way of a painting by Joshua Reynolds
Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA was an influential 18th-century English painter, specialising in portraits and promoting the "Grand Style" in painting which depended on idealization of the imperfect. He was one of the founders and first President of the Royal Academy...
and a tapestry. His father died the same year; however he was prevented from receiving his title due to an American-based impostor claiming to be the son of his father's elder brother, Desmond (d. 1916).
Similarly, in 1999, the Duke failed in his attempts to prevent a half-brother being formally recognised in both Debrett's Peerage and Burke's Peerage. This man, Adrian FitzGerald, was the illegitimate son of the 7th Duke by Yvonne Probyn, great-niece of Sir Dighton Probyn, VC, Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
to Edward VII.
Marriages and issue
He married first, on 17 October 1936, Joane McMorrough-Kavanagh (1915–1994); they had three daughters, one of whom died in infancy:- Lady Pamela Hermione FitzGerald (6 November 1937 – 3 April 1938)
- Lady Rosemary Anne FitzGerald (b. 4 August 1939), married on 9 February 1963 (divorced in 1967) Mark Killigrew Wait
- Lady Nesta FitzGerald (b. 8 January 1942), married in 1977 Philip Tirard (d. 1993), with whom she has two daughters
The marriage was dissolved by divorce in 1946
On 12 June 1946 he married, secondly, Anne Eustace Smith (b. 6 May 1922), with whom he had two sons:
- MauriceMaurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of LeinsterMaurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster , styled Earl of Offaly before 1976 and Marquess of Kildare between 1976 and 2004, is an Irish nobleman. The Duke is the highest ranking member of the Peerage of Ireland....
, Marquess of Kildare, (b. 1948) and succeeded to the peerages - Lord John FitzGeraldLord John FitzGeraldCaptain Lord John FitzGerald is a British soldier and member of the Kildare branch of the FitzGerald dynasty. He was educated at Millfield and studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst...
(b. 1952)