Hugh Fortescue, 5th Earl Fortescue
Encyclopedia
Hugh William Fortescue, 5th Earl Fortescue KG
, PC
(14 June 1888–14 June 1958) was a British peer and Conservative
politician.
Fortescue was the eldest son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue
, and his wife the Hon. Emily (née Ormsby-Gore), and succeeded his father in the earldom in 1932. He served under Stanley Baldwin
, Neville Chamberlain
and Winston Churchill
as a Lord-in-Waiting
(government whip in the House of Lords
) from 1936 to 1945 and under Churchill as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (chief government whip in the House of Lords) in 1945. During the Labour
stay in power from 1945 to 1951 Fortescue was Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Lords. He was again Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms under Churchill from 1951 to 1955 and under Sir Anthony Eden
from 1955 to 1957. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1952 and made a Knight of the Garter
in 1951.
Lord Fortescue married the Hon. Margaret, daughter of Wentworth Beaumont, 1st Viscount Allendale
, on 8 February 1917. They had four children:
Lord Fortescue died in June 1958, aged 70. As he had no surviving male issue he was succeeded by his younger brother, Denzil
. Lady Fortescue also died in June 1958, only four days before her husband.
Although the title passed to his brother on his death, the 5th Earl left his principal seat, Castle Hill http://www.castlehilldevon.co.uk/house_estate.htm in Devon, to his elder surviving daughter, Margaret. It is now the home of her daughter Eleanor, Countess of Arran. The other historic family residence, Ebrington Manor, Gloucestershire
, remains the seat of the Earls Fortescue.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(14 June 1888–14 June 1958) was a British peer and 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...
politician.
Fortescue was the eldest son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue
Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue
Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue KCB was an English Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1881 until 1892 and later inherited the peerage....
, and his wife the Hon. Emily (née Ormsby-Gore), and succeeded his father in the earldom in 1932. He served under Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
as a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
(government whip in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
) from 1936 to 1945 and under Churchill as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (chief government whip in the House of Lords) in 1945. During the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
stay in power from 1945 to 1951 Fortescue was Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Lords. He was again Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms under Churchill from 1951 to 1955 and under Sir Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
from 1955 to 1957. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1952 and made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1951.
Lord Fortescue married the Hon. Margaret, daughter of Wentworth Beaumont, 1st Viscount Allendale
Wentworth Beaumont, 1st Viscount Allendale
Wentworth Canning Blackett Beaumont, 1st Viscount Allendale PC, JP, DL , styled The Honourable Wentworth Beaumont between 1906 and 1907, was a British Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
, on 8 February 1917. They had four children:
- Hon. Diana Margaret Fortescue (1919–1920), died young.
- Hugh Peter Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington (1920–1942), killed in action at El AlameinEl AlameinEl Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
, unmarried. - Lady Margaret Fortescue (b. 13 December 1923), married Bernard Henry Richard van Cutsem and had issue.
- Lady Elizabeth Fortescue (b. 1 October 1926), married William Lloyd Baxendale and had issue.
Lord Fortescue died in June 1958, aged 70. As he had no surviving male issue he was succeeded by his younger brother, Denzil
Denzil Fortescue, 6th Earl Fortescue
Denzil George Fortescue, 6th Earl Fortescue was a British peer, the son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue.He married, firstly, Marjorie Ellinor Trotter, the granddaughter of John Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, on 10 June 1920 and they were divorced in 1941...
. Lady Fortescue also died in June 1958, only four days before her husband.
Although the title passed to his brother on his death, the 5th Earl left his principal seat, Castle Hill http://www.castlehilldevon.co.uk/house_estate.htm in Devon, to his elder surviving daughter, Margaret. It is now the home of her daughter Eleanor, Countess of Arran. The other historic family residence, Ebrington Manor, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, remains the seat of the Earls Fortescue.