The Lyttelton family (sometimes spelled Littleton) is a British aristocratic family. Over time, several members of the Lyttelton family were made knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the Lyttelton family include the

viscountcies A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

of Cobham (since 1889) and Chandos (since 1954), as well as the Lyttelton barony (since 1794) and Lyttelton baronetcy (since 1618). Several other members of the family have also risen to prominence, particularly in the field of

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

History

Branches of the Littleton/Lyttelton family

The Lyttleton pedigree is set out in the

Heraldic Visitation Heraldic visitations were tours of inspection undertaken by Kings of Arms (or alternatively by heralds, or junior officers of arms, acting as their deputies) throughout England, Wales and Ireland. Their purpose was to register and regulate the ...

of Worcestershire. The Littleton/Lyttelton family had its origins at the manor of South Lyttleton, near

Evesham Evesham () is a market town and parish in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is located roughly equidistant between Worcester, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon. It lies within the Vale of Evesha ...

, in

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...

. On the death of Thomas de Littleton,

lord of the manor Lord of the Manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England, referred to the landholder of a rural estate. The lord enjoyed manorial rights (the rights to establish and occupy a residence, known as the manor house and demesne) as well as seig ...

Frankley Frankley is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire. The modern Frankley estate is part of the New Frankley civil parish in Birmingham, and has been part of the city since 1995. The parish has a population of 122. History Frankley is lis ...

in Worcestershire (inherited on the marriage of his great-grandfather Thomas Littleton to Emma de Frankley, daughter and heiress of Simon de Frankley), the last in the male line, his sole heiress became his only daughter Elizabeth Littleton, who married Thomas Westcott/Westcote, Esquire, "the king's servant in court", who served as Escheator of Worcestershire in 1450. Of her four sons, the eldest,

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

(later the distinguished judge), took his maternal surname and arms of Lyttleton (or Littleton), whilst the others Guy (2nd son), Edmund (3rd son) and Nicholas (4th son), retained their paternal surname and arms of Westcott. Edmund Westcote died unmarried, whilst his brother Nicholas Westcote married Agnes Vernon, the daughter and heiress of Edmund Vernon, and was ancestor of the Westcotes of Staffordshire; Guy Westcote married a daughter of the Greenevile family of Gloucestershire, and was ancestor of the Westcotes of Raddon in the parish of

Shobrooke Shobrooke is a village, parish and former manor in Devon, England. The village is situated about 1 1/2 miles north-east of Crediton. It is located close to Shobrooke park. The river Shobrooke Lake flows through the village. It had a populatio ...

in Devon (among whom was his great-grandson the antiquary

Thomas Westcote Thomas Westcote (c. 1567 – c. 1637) (''alias'' Westcott) of Raddon in the parish of Shobrooke in Devon, was an English historian and topographer of Devon. Biography He was baptised at Shobrooke in Devon on 17 June 1567. He was the third son of ...

of Raddon) and of Somerset.

Sir Thomas Littleton Sir Thomas de Littleton or de Lyttleton Order of the Bath, KB ( 140723 August 1481) was an English judge, undersheriff, Lord of Tixall Gatehouse, Tixall Manor, and legal writer from the Lyttelton family. He was also made a Order of the Bath, ...

(c. 1407–1481), became a distinguished judge and legal writer, referred to as "one of the great law luminaries of his country", and is immortalized by one work alone, his celebrated ''Treatise on Tenures''. He was appointed a judge of the

Court of Common Pleas A court of common pleas is a common kind of court structure found in various common law jurisdictions. The form originated with the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, which was created to permit individuals to press civil grievances against one ...

in 1464, and inherited the Frankley estates from his mother. He was survived by three sons, William, Richard and Thomas, from whom originated three lines of Littleton/Lyttelton

landed gentry The landed gentry, or the ''gentry'', is a largely historical British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate. While distinct from, and socially below, the British peerage, th ...

in the West Midlands, all of which acquired baronetcies in the 17th century: * Thomas Littleton, the third son, is recorded as ''Thomas Litleton of Speechly'' and incumbent of

Spetchley Spetchley Hall Spetchley is a hamlet and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, that lies in the district of Wychavon, half a mile from Worcester, along the A44 road. Spetchley contains Spetchley Park, a country mansion with extensive gardens ...

, Worcestershire. His descendant Adam Littleton received the Littleton Baronetcy, of Stoke Milburgh, in 1642. View of Pillaton Old Hall (Geograph 398695 by Geoff Pick)

View of Pillaton Old Hall (Geograph 398695 by Geoff Pick)

* Richard Littleton, the second son, married the heiress of

Pillaton Hall Pillaton Hall was an historic house located in Pillaton, Staffordshire, near Penkridge, England. For more than two centuries it was the seat of the Littleton family, a family of local landowners and politicians. The 15th century gatehouse is the ...

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

. His descendant Edward Littleton received the Littleton Baronetcy, of Pillaton Hall, in 1627. The title became extinct in 1812 on the death of the 4th Baronet. The lands then passed to a nephew, Edward John Walhouse, who adopted the surname of Littleton and was created

Baron Hatherton Baron Hatherton, of Hatherton in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1835 for the politician Edward Littleton, Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1833 to 1834. Born Edward Walhouse, he assum ...

in 1835.

* William Littleton (1450–1507), the eldest son, inherited the lands at

, and was knighted after the

Battle of Stoke The Battle of Stoke Field on 16 June 1487 may be considered the last battle of the Wars of the Roses, since it was the last major engagement between contenders for the throne whose claims derived from descent from the houses of Lancaster and Yo ...

(1487), one of the last major engagements of the

Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), known at the time and for more than a century after as the Civil Wars, were a series of civil wars fought over control of the English throne in the mid-to-late fifteenth century. These wars were fought bet ...

. He was succeeded by his son John Littleton (c. 1500–1533), who was succeeded by his son John Lyttelton (1520–1590). He was made constable of

Dudley Castle Dudley Castle is a ruined fortification in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Originally a wooden motte and bailey castle built soon after the Norman Conquest, it was rebuilt as a stone fortification during the twelfth century but subs ...

and keeper of the old and new parks there in 1553. In 1565 he bought the manor of Hagley from John St. Leger. Together with

and

Upper Arley Upper Arley () is a village and civil parish near Kidderminster in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, the village had a population of 741 at the 2011 census. Amenities The Arley railwa ...

, which he inherited, this formed the core of the Lyttelton family estate. He was knighted by

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

Kenilworth Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Warwick (district), Warwick District in Warwickshire, England, south-west of Coventry, north of Warwick and north-west of London. It lies on Finham Brook, a ...

in 1566. He was succeeded by his son

Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

(c.1570–1599), the

High Sheriff of Worcestershire This is a list of sheriffs and since 1998 high sheriffs of Worcestershire. The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of th ...

in 1584, who was the father of John († 1601) and Humphrey († 1606). Humphrey was executed for his part in the

Gunpowder Plot The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sought ...

. John Lyttelton served as a Member of Parliament but was concerned in the rebellion of

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG, PC (; 10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a ...

in 1601. He was tried for

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

, but was reprieved from execution. His estates in

Halesowen Halesowen ( ) is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the county of West Midlands, England. Historically an exclave of Shropshire and, from 1844, in Worcestershire, the town is around from Birmingham city centre, and from ...

Hagley Hagley is a large village and civil parish in Worcestershire, England. It is on the boundary of the West Midlands and Worcestershire counties between the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and Kidderminster. Its estimated population was 7,162 in 20 ...

and

were forfeited to the Crown, but were restored to his widow Meriel (daughter of Sir

Thomas Bromley Sir Thomas Bromley (153011 April 1587) was a 16th-century lawyer, judge and politician who established himself in the mid-Tudor period and rose to prominence during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I. He was successively Solicito ...

, Lord Chancellor of England) on the accession of

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

. She survived him 28 years and cleared the estates of debt, bringing up her children as

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

s. The eldest son, Thomas Lyttelton (1593–1650) received the Lyttelton Baronetcy, of Frankley in the County of Worcester, in the

Baronetage of England Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain. Baronetage of England (1611–1705) King James I ...

, in 1618.

The Lytteltons of Frankley and Hagley

Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham by Jean Baptiste van Loo

Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 1st Baronet Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 1st Baronet (1593 – 22 February 1650) was an English Royalist officer and politician from the Lyttelton family during the English Civil War. Biography Thomas Lyttelton, born in 1593, was the eldest son of Sir John Lyttelt ...

of Frankley (1593–1650), devoted much time to developing his estates in

and

, and later represented

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

. His son, the 2nd Baronet, sat as

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Lichfield Lichfield () is a cathedral city and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated roughly south-east of the county town of Stafford, south-east of Rugeley, north-east of Walsall, north-west of Tamworth and south-west of B ...

. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the 3rd Baronet, who represented

Bewdley Bewdley ( pronunciation) is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District in Worcestershire, England on the banks of the River Severn. It is in the Severn Valley west of Kidderminster and southwest of Birmingham. It lies on the River Sev ...

in Parliament. He was succeeded by his son, the 4th Baronet. He was Member of Parliament for

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

and

Camelford Camelford ( kw, Reskammel) is a town and civil parish in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, situated in the River Camel valley northwest of Bodmin Moor. The town is approximately ten miles (16 km) north of Bodmin and is governed by ...

. In 1708, the 4th Baronet married Christian Temple, daughter of

Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet (28 March 1634 – 8 May 1697) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1697. Life Temple was the son of Sir Peter Temple, 2nd Baronet of Stowe and his second wi ...

Stowe Stowe may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Stowe, Buckinghamshire, a civil parish and former village **Stowe House **Stowe School * Stowe, Cornwall, in Kilkhampton parish * Stowe, Herefordshire, in the List of places in Herefordshire * Stowe, Linc ...

. In 1718,

her brother is a 1960 Japanese drama film directed by Kon Ichikawa. The film is based on the novel ''Otōto'' by Aya Koda. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival, where it won a prize for Special Distinction. Plot 17-year-old Gen takes care ...

was created ''Baron Cobham'', of Cobham in the County of

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, and ''

Viscount Cobham Viscount Cobham is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created in 1718. Owing to its special remainder, the title has passed through several families. Since 1889, it has been held by members of the Lyttelton family. The barony a ...

'', with special remainder (in default of his own heirs male) to his sister Christian and her heirs male and in default of them to the heirs male of Christian. This latter remainder took effect in 1889 when her descendant Charles Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton succeeded as 8th Viscount Cobham. Hagley Worcs - St John the Baptist - exterior from east 02

Hagley Worcs - St John the Baptist - exterior from east 02

Hagley, St John the Baptist - interior, nave (looking towards east) - photo 01

. In 1751, the 4th Baronet was succeeded by his eldest son, the 5th Baronet, who was a prominent politician. In 1755 he was created

Baron Lyttelton Baron Lyttelton is a title that has been created one in Peerage of England and twice in Peerage of Great Britain, both times for members of the Lyttelton family. Since 1889 the title has been a subsidiary title of the viscountcy of Cobham. Bar ...

, of Frankley in the

County of Worcester Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...

, in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...

. He was succeeded in his titles by his son, the 2nd Baron, who briefly represented Bewdley in the House of Commons. The 2nd Baron had no legitimate issue and on his death in 1779, the Lyttelton barony (created in 1755) became extinct. However, he was succeeded in the Lyttelton baronetcy (created in 1618) by his uncle, the 7th Baronet. He also represented Bewdley in Parliament and served as

Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the '' ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...

and of

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

. In 1776, three years before he succeeded in the baronetcy, he was created Baron Westcote, of Balamere in the County of Longford, in the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...

. In 1794 he was further created

, of Frankley in the

, in the

. His eldest son, who later succeeded as the 2nd Baron, also sat as Member of Parliament for Bewdley. His half-brother, the 3rd Baron, represented Worcestershire in the House of Commons and also served as

Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. Since 1719, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Worcestershire. Lord Lieutenants of Worcestershire to 1974 *''see Lord Lieutenant of Wales for pre- ...

. His son, the 4th Baron, was briefly

Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. In 1801 the offices of Under-Secretary of State for War and Und ...

in 1846 under

Sir Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer ...

and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his son, the 5th Baron, who had previously represented East Worcestershire in Parliament as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

. In 1889 he also succeeded his distant relative, the late

3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos Richard Plantagenet Campbell Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (10 September 1823 – 26 March 1889), styled Earl Temple until 1839 and Marquess of Chandos from 1839 to 1861, was a United Kingdom of Gre ...

, as 8th

. His son, the 9th Viscount Cobham, was

from 1923 to 1949. He was succeeded by his son, the 10th Viscount. He served as

Governor-General of New Zealand The governor-general of New Zealand ( mi, te kāwana tianara o Aotearoa) is the viceregal representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and li ...

from 1957 to 1962 and was made a

Knight of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George ...

in 1964 and also served as

Chancellor of the Order of the Garter The Chancellor of the Order of the Garter is an officer of the Order of the Garter. History of the office When the Order of the Garter was founded in 1348 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, by Edward III of England three officers were initiall ...

. His nephew,

Oliver Lyttelton Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos, (15 March 1893 – 21 January 1972) was a British businessman from the Lyttelton family who was brought into government during the Second World War, holding a number of ministerial posts. Background, ed ...

, was made

Viscount Chandos Viscount Chandos, of Aldershot in the County of Southampton, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and held by a branch of the Lyttelton family. It was created in 1954 for the businessman and public servant Oliver Lyttelton. He was t ...

, of Aldershot in the County of Southampton, in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...

in 1954 and a

in 1970. The 3rd Viscount Chandos was given a

life peerage In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages Ac ...

as Baron Lyttelton of Aldershot, of Aldershot in the County of Hampshire, in 2000.

Members of the family

Frankley/Hagley branch

Early members

* Sir William Littleton (1450–1507), of

, eldest son of

(c. 1407–1481), justice and author. He succeeded to his father's estates and was knighted after the

. Sir William Littleton was succeeded by his son: * John Littleton (c. 1500–1533), who was succeeded by his son: * Sir John Lyttelton (1520–1590), who was succeeded by his son: *

Gilbert Lyttelton Gilbert Lyttelton MP (c. 1540 – 1 June 1599) was an English politician and landowner from the Lyttelton family. He was the eldest son of Sir John Lyttelton (died 1590). He was Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in 1570 and in 157 ...

(c.1540–1599), who was the father of John († 1601) and Humphrey († 1606) *

John Lyttelton (MP) John Lyttelton Member of Parliament, MP Justice of Peace, JP (1561–1601) was an English politician and member of the Lyttelton family who served as Member of Parliament for Worcestershire (UK Parliament constituency), Worcestershire during t ...

(1561–1601), who was succeeded by his son: * Thomas Lyttelton (1593–1650, who was made a Baronet in 1618)

Baronets (1618)

George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton from NPG

Governor General Lord Cobham at the Kelliher art exhibition

(1593–1650) *

Sir Henry Lyttelton, 2nd Baronet Sir Henry Lyttelton, 2nd Baronet (1624 – 24 June 1693) was an English politician and member of the Lyttelton family. He was a Royalist officer during the English Civil War. After the Restoration, from 1678 to 1679 he sat in the House of Commons. ...

(1624–1693) *

Sir Charles Lyttelton, 3rd Baronet Sir Charles Lyttelton, 3rd Baronet, of Frankley, in the County of Worcester, MP (1628 – 2 May 1716) was one of the early English Governors of Jamaica, an army officer, and Member of Parliament from the Lyttelton family. Governor of Jamaica Char ...

(1628–1716) *

Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet, of Frankley, in the County of Worcester (1686 – 14 September 1751), was an English landowner and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1721 to 1741. He held office as one of the Lords of the Admi ...

(1686–1751) * Sir George Lyttelton, 5th Baronet (1709–1773, created Baron Lyttelton in 1756)

Barons Lyttelton (1756)

* George Lyttelton, 5th Baronet, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1709–1773) * Thomas Lyttelton, 6th Baronet, 2nd Baron Lyttelton (1744–1779)

Barons Westcote (1776)

* William Henry Lyttelton, 7th Baronet (1724–1808, created Baron Westcote in 1776 and Baron Lyttelton in 1794)

Barons Lyttelton (1794)

* William Henry Lyttelton, 7th Baronet, 1st Baron Westcote, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1724–1808) *

George Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton George Fulke Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton (27 October 1763 – 12 November 1828) was an Anglo-Irish peer and politician from the Lyttelton family. He was the eldest son of William Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton and his first wife Martha Macartn ...

(1763–1828) *

William Henry Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton William Henry Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton MP (3 April 1782 – 30 April 1837) was an English Whig politician from the Lyttelton family. Early life and education Born on 3 April 1782, William Lyttelton was the son of William Henry Lyttelto ...

(1782–1837) *

George Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton George William Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton, 4th Baron Westcote, (31 March 1817 – 19 April 1876) was an English aristocrat and Conservative politician from the Lyttelton family. He was chairman of the Canterbury Association, which encourag ...

(1817–1876) * Charles Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton (1842–1922, succeeded as 8th Viscount Cobham in 1889)

Viscounts Cobham (1718)

* Charles Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton, 8th Viscount Cobham (1842–1922) *

John Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham John Cavendish Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham, (23 October 1881 – 31 July 1949), was a British peer, soldier, and Conservative politician from the Lyttelton family. Biography Cobham was the eldest son of Charles Lyttelton, 8th Viscount Cobha ...

(1881–1949) *

Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham Charles John Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham, (8 August 1909 – 20 March 1977) was the ninth Governor-General of New Zealand and an English cricketer from the Lyttelton family. Background and education Lyttelton was born in Kensington, London, ...

(1909–1977) *

John Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham John William Leonard Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham (15 June 1943 – 13 July 2006) was a British nobleman and peer from the Lyttelton family. He was known as "Johnny Lyttelton" to his friends and family. He was educated at Eton, where his fa ...

(1943–2006) *

Christopher Charles Lyttelton, 12th Viscount Cobham Christopher Charles Lyttelton, 12th Viscount Cobham, 12th Baron Cobham, 9th Baron Lyttelton, 9th Baron Westcote (born 23 October 1947) is a British nobleman and peer from the Lyttelton family in the United Kingdom. Biography The second son of the ...

(b. 1947) The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

is the present holder's son Hon. Oliver Christopher Lyttelton (b. 1976).

Viscounts Chandos (1954)

Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos, (15 March 1893 – 21 January 1972) was a British businessman from the Lyttelton family who was brought into government during the Second World War, holding a number of ministerial posts. Background, ed ...

(1893–1972), after whom the ''

Lyttelton Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. In ...

'' is named *

Antony Lyttelton, 2nd Viscount Chandos Antony Alfred Lyttelton, 2nd Viscount Chandos (23 October 1920 – 28 November 1980) was a British soldier and peer from the Lyttelton family. Biography Lord Chandos was the son of Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos, and Lady Moira Godolphin ...

(1920–1980) *

Thomas Lyttelton, 3rd Viscount Chandos Thomas Orlando Lyttelton, 3rd Viscount Chandos (born 12 February 1953), is a British hereditary and life peer and politician for the Labour Party. Early life A member of the Lyttelton family, Chandos is the elder son of Antony Lyttelton, 2nd Vi ...

(b. 1953) The

is the present holder's son Hon. Oliver Antony Lyttelton (b. 1986).

Other notable members

Sarah Spencer (1787-1870), wife of William, 3rd Baron Lyttelton by John Jackson (1778-1831)

Humphrey Lyttleton -playing trumpet -Lyric Theatre 25n2007c

Charles Lyttelton Charles Lyttelton may refer to: *Sir Charles Lyttelton, 3rd Baronet (1628–1716), Governor of Jamaica *Charles Lyttelton (bishop) (1714–1768), Bishop of Carlisle and antiquary *Charles Lyttelton, 8th Viscount Cobham (1842–1922), English cricke ...

(1714–1768),

Bishop of Carlisle The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York. The diocese covers the county of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District. The see is in the city of Car ...

; third son of the 4th Baronet *

Spencer Lyttelton Spencer may refer to: People *Spencer (surname) **Spencer family, British aristocratic family ** List of people with surname Spencer * Spencer (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia *Spencer, New ...

(1818–1882), marshal of the ceremonies to the Royal Household; son of the 3rd Baron *

William Henry Lyttelton (1820–1884) The Reverend William Henry Lyttelton (1820 – 24 July 1884) was a priest in the Church of England from the Lyttelton family. He was the English translator of a number of works by the Swiss Protestant theologians Frédéric Louis Godet and Félix ...

, Canon of Gloucester; son of the 3rd Baron. He married

Emily Pepys Emily Pepys (9 August 1833 – 12 September 1877) was an English child diarist, whose account of six months of her life provides a vivid insight into a wealthy bishop's family. She was a collateral descendant of the diarist Samuel Pepys. Biogra ...

(1833–1877), the child diarist. * Lucy Lyttelton (1841–1925), married

Lord Frederick Cavendish Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish (30 November 1836 – 6 May 1882) was an English Liberal politician and ''protégé'' of the Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone. Cavendish was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland in May 1882 but was m ...

and later became an advocate of women's education; daughter of the 4th Baron Lyttelton.

Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge Lucy Cavendish College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college is named in honour of Lucy Cavendish (1841–1925), who campaigned for the reform of women's education. Hist ...

was named after her in 1965. * George Lyttelton (1847–1913), civil servant, private secretary to

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

and sportsman; son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton *

Arthur Lyttelton Arthur Temple Lyttelton (7 January 1852 – 19 February 1903) was an Anglican Bishop from the Lyttelton family. After studying at Eton College and Cambridge University, he was ordained as a priest in 1877, and was a curate at St Mary's in Readin ...

(1852–1903), Bishop of Southampton and sportsman; son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton *

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Sir

Neville Lyttelton General The Honourable Sir Neville Gerald Lyttelton, (28 October 1845 – 6 July 1931) was a British Army officer from the Lyttelton family who served against the Fenian Raids, and in the Anglo-Egyptian War, the Mahdist War and the Second Boer W ...

(1845–1931); son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton *

Robert Lyttelton Robert Henry Lyttelton (18 January 1854 – 7 November 1939) was an English cricketer who appeared in seven first-class matches between 1873 and 1880. A member of the Lyttelton family who were prominent in English cricket in the mid to late 180 ...

(1854–1939), noted cricketer; son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton *

Edward Lyttelton Edward Lyttelton (23 July 1855 – 26 January 1942) was an English schoolmaster, cleric and sportsman from the Lyttelton family who was headmaster of Eton College from 1905 to 1916. During his early years he played first-class cricket for Cambr ...

(1855–1942), priest, Headmaster of

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

and sportsman; son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton *

Alfred Lyttelton Alfred Lyttelton KC (7 February 1857 – 5 July 1913) was a British politician and sportsman from the Lyttelton family who excelled at both football and cricket. During his time at university he participated in Varsity Matches in five sports ...

(1857–1913), lawyer and sportsman; son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton. He married Dame Edith Balfour (1865–1948), the novelist and spiritualist, and was the father of the 1st Viscount Chandos *

Charles Frederick Lyttelton Charles Frederick Lyttelton (26 January 1887 – 3 October 1931) was a priest from the Lyttelton family. As an English first-class cricketer, he played 31 games for Cambridge University, Worcestershire and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the e ...

(1887–1931), priest and cricketer; son of the 8th Viscount Cobham *

Lucy Masterman Lucy Blanche Masterman (née ''Lyttelton''; 19 July 188422 April 1977) was a British poet and diarist from the Lyttelton family. In 1908 she married the Liberal journalist Charles Masterman, who was later elected to parliament and briefly served ...

, ''née'' Lyttelton (1884–1977), politician and wife of

Charles Masterman Charles Frederick Gurney Masterman PC (24 October 1873 – 17 November 1927) was a British radical Liberal Party politician, intellectual and man of letters. He worked closely with such Liberal leaders as David Lloyd George and Winston Church ...

; daughter of Sir

George William Lyttelton The Honourable, The Hon George William Lyttelton (6 January 1883 – 1 May 1962) was a British teacher and ''littérateur'' from the Lyttelton family. Known in his lifetime as an inspiring teacher of classics and English literature at Eton C ...

(1883–1962), teacher and sportsman, co-author of the ''

Lyttelton/Hart-Davis Letters The Lyttelton/Hart-Davis Letters are a correspondence between two literary Englishmen, George Lyttelton (1883–1962) and Rupert Hart-Davis (1907–99), written between 1955 and Lyttelton's death, and published by Hart-Davis in six volumes betwee ...

''; second son of the 5th Baron Lyttelton *

Humphrey Lyttelton Humphrey Richard Adeane Lyttelton (23 May 1921 – 25 April 2008), also known as Humph, was an English jazz musician and broadcaster from the Lyttelton family. Having taught himself the trumpet at school, Lyttelton became a professional ...

(1921–2008), jazz musician and broadcaster; son of

* Viola Lyttelton (1912–1987), married the 5th Duke of Westminster; daughter of the 9th Viscount Cobham

New Zealand

The 4th Baron Lyttelton (1817–1876) served as chairman of the

Canterbury Association The Canterbury Association was formed in 1848 in England by members of parliament, peers, and Anglican church leaders, to establish a colony in New Zealand. The settlement was to be called Canterbury, with its capital to be known as Christchurch. ...

and did much to promote the development of

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. Hagley Park, the largest

urban open space In land-use planning, urban green space is open space reserve, open-space areas reserved for parks and other "green spaces", including plant life, water features -also referred to as blue spaces- and other kinds of natural environment. Most urb ...

in Christchurch, takes its name from Lord Lyttelton's country estate in Worcestershire. The first newspaper established by the Canterbury Association in Canterbury Settlement, New Zealand, named the ''

Lyttelton Times The ''Lyttelton Times'' was the first newspaper in Canterbury, New Zealand, publishing the first edition in January 1851. It was established by the Canterbury Association as part of its planned settlement of Canterbury and developed into a libera ...

'', started in the port settlement of

Lyttelton, New Zealand Lyttelton (Māori: ''Ōhinehou'') is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō, at the northwestern end of Banks Peninsula and close to Christchurch, on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. As a landing ...

, in 1851. The settlement of Lyttelton, established in 1850, was named after the family; from this Lyttelton district took its name. A railway line in New Zealand was named

Lyttelton Line Lyttelton Line is a name sometimes used to refer to the section of the Main South Line in New Zealand's South Island between Lyttelton and Christchurch, and can also be used to refer to the operations on this section. As it has always been par ...

, and Christchurch's port has borne the name

Lyttelton Harbour Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō is one of two major inlets in Banks Peninsula, on the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand; the other is Akaroa Harbour on the southern coast. It enters from the northern coast of the peninsula, heading in a pred ...

since 1858. Lord Lyttelton's great-grandson, the 10th Viscount Cobham, (1909–1977) served as the

ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...

Governor-General of New Zealand (in office: 1957-1962) and also had a successful cricketing career.

Cricket

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Lytteltons were a notable

ing family. The

4th Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

and the 5th Barons Lyttelton, the latter's brothers ( GWS Lyttelton, AT Lyttelton, RH Lyttelton, E Lyttelton, Hon. A Lyttelton), his sons ( JC Lyttelton, CF Lyttelton) and his grandson ( CJ Lyttelton) all played

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officiall ...

, and in the case of the Hon. A Lyttelton,

Test cricket Test cricket is a form of first-class cricket played at international level between teams representing full member countries of the International Cricket Council (ICC). A match consists of four innings (two per team) and is scheduled to last fo ...

. On 26 August 1867, the ''Lyttelton XI'', a cricket team composed of eleven members of the Lyttelton family, played a match against

Bromsgrove School Bromsgrove School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove, England. Founded in 1553, it is one of the oldest public schools in Britain, and one of the 14 founding members of the Headmaste ...

at Hagley Park in Worcestershire and won by ten wickets.

Pillaton/Hatherton branch

Edward John Littleton, 1st Baron Hatherton by Sir George Hayter

This branch of the Littleton/Lyttelton family is descended from Richard, the second son of

(c. 1407–1481), justice and author. He married Alice Winesbury or Wynnesbury, heiress of

, near

Penkridge Penkridge ( ) is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in South Staffordshire, South Staffordshire District in Staffordshire, England. It is to the south of Stafford, north of Wolverhampton, west of Cannock and east of Telford. ...

. Their eldest son, Edward Littleton († 1558), inherited Alice's lands and acquired lands on

Cannock Chase Cannock Chase (), often referred to locally as The Chase, is a mixed area of countryside in the county of Staffordshire, England. The area has been designated as the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is managed by Forestry En ...

. He was appointed Constable of

Stafford Castle Stafford Castle is an ancient Grade II listed castle situated two miles west of the town of Stafford in Staffordshire, England. From the time of the Norman Conquest and as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 it was the seat of the powerful Ang ...

for life and was

High Sheriff of Staffordshire This is a list of the sheriffs and high sheriffs of Staffordshire. The sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. The sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities ass ...

on three occasions. He was the first of the line to be knighted. His descendant Edward Littleton received the Littleton Baronetcy, of Pillaton Hall, in 1627. The title became

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

in 1812 on the death of the 4th Baronet, who had moved the seat of the family to

Teddesley Hall Teddesley Hall was a large Georgian English country house located close to Penkridge in Staffordshire, now demolished. It was the main seat firstly of the Littleton Baronets and then of the Barons Hatherton. The site today retains considerable ...

and whose heir was a nephew, Edward John Walhouse. The latter inherited both the Littleton lands and the Walhouse lands, and adopted the surname of Littleton. A prominent politician, he was created

, of Hatherton in the County of Stafford, in the

in 1835. The peerage is currently held by Edward Charles Littleton, 8th Baron Hatherton (b. 1950). The family vault is beneath the altar area of St.Michael and All Saints Church,

Early members

Edward Littleton (died 1558) Edward Littleton or Edwarde Lyttelton (by 1489–1558) was a Staffordshire landowner from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family. He also served as soldier and Member of Parliament for Staffordshire in the House of Commons of England, th ...

, younger son of

(c. 1407–1481), justice and author. He was succeeded in his estates by his son: *

Edward Littleton (died 1574) Edward Littleton may refer to: * Edward Littleton, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1589–1645), Chief Justice of North Wales * Edward Littleton (colonial administrator) (died 1705), administrator of the English East India Company * Sir Edward Littleton (died ...

, who was succeeded by his son: *

Edward Littleton (died 1610) Sir Edward Littleton (ca. 15551610) was a Staffordshire landowner, politician and rebel from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family. A supporter of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, he was the victim of a notorious electoral fraud in 1597 a ...

, who was succeeded by his third son: *

Edward Littleton (died 1629) Sir Edward Littleton (c. 157725 July 1629) was a politician from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family and an important Staffordshire landowner of the Jacobean era and the early Caroline era. Although loyal to the monarchy, he seems to have b ...

, who was succeeded by his son: * Edward Littleton ( – , who was made a Baronet in 1627)

Baronets (1627)

Sir Edward Littleton, 1st Baronet Sir Edward Littleton, 1st Baronet (c. 1599 – c. 1657) was a 17th-century English Baronet and politician from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family, the first of a line of four Littleton baronets with Pillaton Hall as their seat. He was the ...

( – ) *

Sir Edward Littleton, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Littleton of Pillaton Hall, 2nd Baronet (c. 1632–1709), was a Staffordshire landowner and MP from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family, who represented Staffordshire in the Cavalier Parliament. Background and early life Littl ...

(–1709) *

Sir Edward Littleton, 3rd Baronet ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as p ...

(died 1742) *

Sir Edward Littleton, 4th Baronet Sir Edward Littleton of Pillaton Hall, 4th Baronet, (c. 1727–1812) was a long-lived Staffordshire landowner and MP from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family, who represented Staffordshire in the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliam ...

(1727–1812)

Barons Hatherton (1835)

Edward John Littleton, 1st Baron Hatherton Edward John Littleton, 1st Baron Hatherton PC, FRS (18 March 17914 May 1863), was a British politician from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family, of first the Canningite Tories and later the Whigs. He had a long political career, active ...

(1791–1863) * Edward Richard Littleton, 2nd Baron Hatherton (1815–1888) *Edward George Littleton, 3rd Baron Hatherton (1842–1930) *Edward Charles Littleton, 4th Baron Hatherton (1868–1944) *Edward Thomas Littleton, 5th Baron Hatherton (1900–1969) *John Walter Littleton, 6th Baron Hatherton (1906–1973) *Thomas Charles Littleton, 7th Baron Hatherton (1907–1985) *Edward Charles Littleton, 8th Baron Hatherton (b. 1950) The

is the present holder's son the Hon. Thomas Edward Littleton (b. 1977).

Stoke Milburgh branch

This branch of the Littleton/Lyttelton family is descended from Thomas Littleton, third son of

(c. 1407–1481), justice and author. He is recorded as ''Thomas Litleton of Speechly'' and incumbent of

, Worcestershire. His descendant Adam Littleton received the Littleton Baronetcy, of Stoke Milburgh, in 1642. This title became extinct in 1709 upon the death of the 3rd Baronet, a former

Speaker of the House of Commons Speaker of the House of Commons is a political leadership position found in countries that have a House of Commons, where the membership of the body elects a speaker to lead its proceedings. Systems that have such a position include: * Speaker of ...

Baronets (1642)

*Sir Adam Littleton, 1st Baronet (died 1647) *

Sir Thomas Littleton, 2nd Baronet Sir Thomas Littleton, 2nd Baronet (c. 1621 – 14 April 1681) was an English politician from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1681. Littleton was the son of Sir Adam Littleton, 1s ...

(c. 1621–1681) *

Sir Thomas Littleton, 3rd Baronet Sir Thomas Littleton, 3rd Baronet, often Thomas de Littleton, (3 April 1647 – 31 December 1709), of North Ockendon, Essex and Stoke St. Milborough, Shropshire, was an English lawyer and Whig politician who sat in the English and British House o ...

(1647–1709)

References

External links

{{Commons category, position=left, Lyttelton family English families Noble families of the United Kingdom