(Joseph) Rupert Eric Robert Watson, 3rd Baron Manton (22 January 1924 – 8 August 2003), DL, of
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall ( ) is a country house in the parish of Houghton in Norfolk, England. It is the residence of David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.
It was commissioned by the ''de facto'' first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walp ...
in the parish of
Sancton
''For people with the surname, see Sancton (surname).''
Sancton is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately south-east of the market town of Market Weighton on the A1034 road.
The civi ...
,
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
, was a British soldier, landowner and racehorse owner who served as Senior Steward of the
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and both the Rowley Mile and July Course in Newmarket, amo ...
(1982-5).
Origins
He was the only son and heir of
Miles Watson, 2nd Baron Manton
Miles Watson, 2nd Baron Manton (1899–1968), (born George Miles Watson), of Compton Verney, Warwickshire and Plumpton Place, East Sussex, was an English peer and racehorse breeder.
Origins
George Miles Watson was born on 21 June 1899. He was ...
of
Compton Verney
Compton Verney is a parish and historic manor in the county of Warwickshire, England. The population taken at the 2011 census was 119. The surviving manor house is the Georgian mansion Compton Verney House.
Descent of the manor
The first r ...
, Warwickshire and later of
Plumpton Place
Plumpton Place is a Grade II* listed Elizabethan manor house in Plumpton, East Sussex, England.
Description
Plumpton Place looks onto the nearby north-facing escarpment of the South Downs, with Plumpton College (formerly Plumpton Agricultural Co ...
, East Sussex, by his first wife Alethea Langdale, the younger of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Colonel Philip Joseph Langdale, OBE, JP, DL, of Houghton Hall. In 1936 when Watson was 12 years of age, his parents were divorced and his father remarried two years later.
Inheritance
He inherited the barony of Manton on the death of his father in 1968. He was given
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall ( ) is a country house in the parish of Houghton in Norfolk, England. It is the residence of David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.
It was commissioned by the ''de facto'' first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walp ...
, the ancient seat of the extinct Barony of Langdale, by his maternal aunt Countess FitzWilliam (1898-1995) (née Joyce Elizabeth Mary Langdale), eldest daughter and co-heiress of Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Joseph Langdale, who from 1956 was the wife of
Thomas Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 10th Earl Fitzwilliam
William Thomas George Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 10th Earl Fitzwilliam JP (28 May 1904 – 21 September 1979), known as Tom, of Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, Yorkshire (the largest private residence in England) and of Milton Hall, Peterboro ...
(1904–1979). With her husband's home,
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Wentworth, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It is currently owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust. The building has m ...
, near
Rotherham
Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...
, Yorkshire, being the largest private residence in England, and with his second seat of
Milton Hall
Milton Hall near Peterborough, is the largest private house in Cambridgeshire, England.This Milton Hall should not be confused with the other Milton Hall just to the north of Cambridge in the village of Milton. The Milton Hall near Cambridge is ...
, Peterborough, being the largest house in Cambridgeshire, also at her disposal, she may have felt little need to retain Houghton for her own use.
Career
He lived near
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray () is a town in Leicestershire, England, north-east of Leicester, and south-east of Nottingham. It lies on the River Eye, known below Melton as the Wreake. The town had a population 27,670 in 2019. The town is sometimes promo ...
,
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
, the centre of English fox-hunting, until moving to the
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Riding or East Yorkshire, is a ceremonial county and unitary authority area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and west, South Yorkshire to t ...
to run Houghton Hall and its estate. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of
Humberside
Humberside () was a non-metropolitan and ceremonial county in Northern England from 1 April 1974 until 1 April 1996. It was composed of land from either side of the Humber Estuary, created from portions of the East Riding of Yorkshire, West ...
in 1980.
Military career
He was educated at
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 ...
.
In 1942 Watson joined the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and the next year was commissioned into the Life Guards. He saw service in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. He was promoted captain and retired in 1947. In 1951 he returned to the army and served in the
7th Queen's Own Hussars
The 7th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first formed in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War and the Second World War. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in ...
until 1956. He then served in the
Leicestershire Yeomanry
The Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own) was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794 and again in 1803, which provided cavalry and mounted infantry in the Second Boer War and the First World War and provided two fie ...
, in which he was appointed
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
.
Horse racing
From a young age, Watson was a successful jockey having won 130 times as an amateur. He won the Kim Muir Chase at the
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Rac ...
in 1955 riding Gay Monarch.
Following the example of his father, who had established a stud at
Plumpton Place
Plumpton Place is a Grade II* listed Elizabethan manor house in Plumpton, East Sussex, England.
Description
Plumpton Place looks onto the nearby north-facing escarpment of the South Downs, with Plumpton College (formerly Plumpton Agricultural Co ...
in
Sussex
Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
, and of his grandfather the 1st Baron Manton who took his title from the famous racehorse training establishment at
Manton, Wiltshire
Manton is a small village in Wiltshire, England, on the western outskirts of Marlborough just off the A4 Bath Road.
History
A settlement of twelve households and an estate held by Miles Crispin were recorded at ''Manetone'' in the 1087 Domesda ...
, purchased by him shortly before his early death, he became a successful owner and breeder of racehorses. In 1970 he was a director of Thirsk Racecourse in Yorkshire. From 1970 to 1975 he was a member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board, created to divert monies from bookmakers to the racing industry. From 1982-5 he served as Senior Steward of the
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and both the Rowley Mile and July Course in Newmarket, amo ...
, when that role was still effectively the chief executive of the British horse racing industry, before the creation of the British Horseracing Board in 1993. As Senior Steward he led the campaign to persuade the government to allow betting shops to show televised races.
Manton was a steward at several racecourses,
Doncaster
Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
,
Beverley
Beverley is a market town, market and minster (church), minster town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, of which it is the county town. The town centre is located south-east of York's centre ...
and
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England.
It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...
. He was a
Tattersalls
Tattersalls (formerly Tattersall's) is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Founding
It was founded in 1766 by Richard Tattersall (1724–1795), who had been stud groom to the second Duke of Kingston. T ...
Committee member and between 1985 and 1991 he chaired the York Race Committee. In 1998 he entered a horse he bred and owned, Silver Stick, in the Horse & Hound Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown Park. His son Miles was the jockey and won the race. When the Queen Mother presented Manton with his trophy he told her: "I saddled the horse; I bred the horse - and the jockey."
Quorn
Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products, or the company that makes them. Quorn originated in the UK and is sold primarily in Europe, but is available in 14 countries. The brand is owned by parent company Monde Nissin.
Quorn is sold as bo ...
Foxhounds and was a "well known" hunter in Leicestershire.
Marriage and children
In 1951 he married Mary Elizabeth Hallinan (born 1925) (known as "Mimi"), elder daughter of Major Thomas Francis Dennehy Hallinan (d.1959) of Ashbourne House, Glounthaune, County Cork, Ireland (of the T. Hallinan & Sons flour milling family which had mills at Glandalane, Fermoy; Avoncore, Midleton, etc) and aunt of
John Magnier
John Magnier (born 10 February 1948; also known as "The Boss") is an Irish business magnate. He is Ireland's leading thoroughbred stud owner and has extensive business interests outside the horse-breeding industry.
Magnier has also been a Senat ...
the Irish billionaire
business magnate
A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...
and leading
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
stud
Stud may refer to the following terms:
Animals
* Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding
** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred
Arts and entertainment
* Stud (band), a British progressive rock group
* The Stud (bar), a gay bar ...
owner, son of her twin sister Evelyn Hallinan (Evie Stockwell)."I’ve never enjoyed a race more. It was fantastic,” said 93-year-old Evie Stockwell, the mother of Coolmore supremo John Magnier, after Fairyland, trained by Aidan O’Brien, had carried her colours to victory in the Cheveley Park Stakes to fuel dreams of Qipco 1,000 Guineas glory back at the Rowley Mile in May. By her side was her twin sister, Lady Mimi Manton". (29 Sep 201 By coincidence Magnier's racing partner,
Robert Sangster
Robert Edmund Sangster (23 May 1936 – 7 April 2004)
, was based at the famous training establishment at
Manton, Wiltshire
Manton is a small village in Wiltshire, England, on the western outskirts of Marlborough just off the A4 Bath Road.
History
A settlement of twelve households and an estate held by Miles Crispin were recorded at ''Manetone'' in the 1087 Domesda ...
, which he purchased in 1985, formerly owned by Rupert's grandfather the 1st Baron Manton, and from which he took his title. By his wife he had two sons and a daughter who were triplets and two elder daughters.
Death and succession
On his death on 8 August 2003 the title passed to Miles Watson, 4th Baron Manton, his eldest son. Miles was formerly a successful amateur jockey and was an officer in the Life Guards.