Sir George Chetwynd, 4th Baronet of Brocton Hall (31 May 1849 – 10 March 1917) was the heir to the Chetwynd baronetcy upon the death of his father in 1869.

Life

Chetwynd was born in

Mayfair, London Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world ...

in 1849, the son of the 3rd Baronet and Lady Charlotte Augusta Hill, the daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Downshire. In 1870 he married Lady Florence Cecilia Paget, daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Anglesy and the widow of the 4th Marquess of Hastings. She was a great beauty, known as the "Pocket Venus". Their son George Guy Chetwynd, who became the 5th Baronet, was born in 1874. Sir George Chetwynd, 4th Baronet, was the High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1875 and owned about 6700 acres in 1907. He was an owner of racing horses and a gambler. His first horses were purchased on his behalf by

James Octavius Machell Captain James Octavius Machell (1837–1902) was an influential figure in British horse racing during the final decades of the 19th century. He was a respected judge of horses and an astute and highly successful gambler. During a career that ...

and kept at Bedford Cottage stables, Newmarket. At this time, Sir George was under age and his horses ran under the name of Mr Mortimer. When he came of age in 1870 he moved his horses to Hednesford to be near his residence of Grendon Hall in Warwickshire. Some of his notable successes include: winning of the 1877 Ascot Stakes by Chypre, winning of the 1883 Stewards' Cup at Goodwood by the 6-year old Hornpipe. and winning of the 1888

City and Suburban Handicap The City and Suburban Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 17 yards (2,027 metres) at Epsom in April durin ...

by the 5-year old Fullerton ridden by J. Woodburn. Sir George once declared that he made £6,000 per year from racing. Charles Wood was Sir George's principal jockey. In 1887,

Lord Durham Earl of Durham is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1833 for the Whig politician and colonial official John Lambton, 1st Baron Durham. Known as "Radical Jack", he played a leading role in the passing of the Gre ...

gave a speech at the Gimcrack Club intimating wrongdoings with the running of the horses at Chetwynd's stable. Chetwynd's initial reaction was to challenge Durham to a duel. However, Durham called this cheap valour and allowed the matter to be settled by the Jockey Club. Chetwynd was only partly vindicated by the arbitration, awarded just a farthing in damages and had to pay his own costs. In consequence, he resigned from the Jockey Club. In 1885 Chetwynd was involved with a bout of fisticuffs in Hyde Park with Lord Lonsdale over the favours of

Lillie Langtry Emilie Charlotte, Lady de Bathe (née Le Breton, formerly Langtry; 13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929), known as Lillie (or Lily) Langtry and nicknamed "The Jersey Lily", was a British socialite, stage actress and producer. Born on the isl ...

. She had been out riding along Rotten Row with Lonsdale when she stopped to talk to Chetwynd. Remarks were passed between the two gentlemen before they came to blows and had to be parted. One evening in 1892 Chetwynd invited

George Alexander Baird George Alexander Baird (30 September 1861 – 18 March 1893) was a wealthy British race horse owner, breeder and the most successful amateur jockey (gentleman rider) of his day, who rode under the assumed name of Mr Abington. He was a controver ...

to dine with him at his London House, 36 Curzon Street. Baird expressed his admiration for the house and Chetwynd sold it to him on the spot with all fixtures and fitting. Baird woke next morning in the master bedroom, the new owner, confused and hung over.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chetwynd, George British racehorse owners and breeders 1849 births 1917 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain People from the Borough of Stafford