Thomas William Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester (26 December 1822 – 24 January 1909), known as Viscount Coke from 1837 to 1842, was a

British peer The peerages in the United Kingdom are a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various noble ranks, and forming a constituent part of the British honours system. The term ''peerage'' can be used both collec ...

Background

Leicester was the son of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, by his second wife Lady Anne Amelia Keppel. He succeeded to the earldom and

Holkham Hall Holkham Hall ( or ) is an 18th-century English country house, country house near the village of Holkham, Norfolk, England, constructed in the Neo-Palladian style for the Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation), 1st Earl of Leicester ...

on his father's death in 1842.

Public life

Lord Leicester served as Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk from 1846 to 1906 and was a member of the Council of the

Duchy of Cornwall The Duchy of Cornwall ( kw, Duketh Kernow) is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch obtains possession of the duchy and the title of 'Duke of Cornwall' at ...

and Keeper of the

Privy Seal A privy seal refers to the personal seal of a reigning monarch, used for the purpose of authenticating official documents of a much more personal nature. This is in contrast with that of a great seal, which is used for documents of greater impor ...

. In 1873 he 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 ...

Family

Lord Leicester married firstly, Juliana Whitbread (1825–1870), daughter of

Samuel Charles Whitbread Samuel Charles Whitbread (16 February 1796 – 27 May 1879) was a British Member of Parliament, member of the Whitbread brewing family and founding president of the Royal Meteorological Society. Early life and education Whitbread was the so ...

and Hon. Julia Trevor (d. 1858), on 20 April 1843. They had nine children: *Lady Julia Coke (1844–1931) she married

Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt Mervyn Edward Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt (13 October 1836 – 5 June 1904) was an Irish peer. He became Viscount Powerscourt in 1844 on the death of his father Richard Wingfield, 6th Viscount Powerscourt. Through this Wingfield line he ...

on 26 April 1864. They have five children. Through their eldest son

Mervyn Wingfield, 8th Viscount Powerscourt Mervyn Richard Wingfield, 8th Viscount Powerscourt (16 July 1880 – 21 March 1947) was an Irish peer. Life Wingfield was born to Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt, whom he succeeded as Viscount Powerscourt in 1904. He was commissi ...

they are the maternal great-great-grandparents of

Sarah, Duchess of York Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson; 15 October 1959), also known by the nickname Fergie, is a member of the British royal family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the younger brother of King Charles III ...

and the great-great-great-grandparents of

Princess Eugenie of York Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank ( ; Eugenie Victoria Helena; born 23 March 1990) is a member of the British royal family. She is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is a niece of King Ch ...

wife of

Jack Brooksbank Jack Christopher Stamp Brooksbank (born 3 May 1986) is an English bar manager and brand ambassador. He is the husband of Princess Eugenie of the United Kingdom, making him a member of the British royal family. Early life and family Brooksban ...

. *Lady Anne Coke (1845 – 23 January 1876), she married Maj.-Gen. Edmund Manningham-Buller (son of

Sir Edward Manningham-Buller, 1st Baronet Sir Edward Manningham-Buller, 1st Baronet (19 July 1800 – 22 September 1882), born Edward Buller-Yarde-Buller, was a politician in the United Kingdom. He was member of parliament (MP) for North Staffordshire from 1833 to 1841, for Stafford from ...

) son of on 16 January 1874. They have two children. *Lady Gertrude Coke (1847 – 28 November 1943), she married

Charles Murray, 7th Earl of Dunmore Charles Adolphus Murray, 7th Earl of Dunmore VD (24 March 1841 – 27 August 1907), styled Viscount Fincastle from birth until 1845, was a Scottish peer, Conservative politician, explorer, author, and artist. Family background Fincastle was th ...

on 5 April 1866. They have six children. * Thomas William Coke, 3rd Earl of Leicester (20 July 1848 – 19 November 1941) he married The Honorable Alice White on 26 August 1879. They have five children. Though their eldest daughter Alexandra they are the paternal great-grandparents of James Robert Bruce Ogilvy. *Lady Mary Coke (1849 – 28 December 1929), she married

William Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth William Heneage Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth, (6 May 1851 – 11 March 1936), styled Viscount Lewisham between 1853 and 1891, was a British peer and Conservative politician. He served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household between 1885 and 1886 ...

on 18 December 1879. They have five children. *Lady Winifred Coke (1851 – 22 March 1940), she married

Robert Clements, 4th Earl of Leitrim Robert Bermingham Clements, 4th Earl of Leitrim DL (5 March 1847 – 5 April 1892) was an Irish soldier and nobleman. Early life Clements was born on 5 March 1847. He was the only son of the Rev. Hon. Francis Nathaniel Clements, Vicar of Norto ...

on 2 September 1873. They have eight children. *Lady Margaret Coke (24 April 1852 – 2 August 1922), she married

Henry Strutt, 2nd Baron Belper Henry Strutt, 2nd Baron Belper, (20 May 1840 – 26 July 1914), styled The Honourable Henry Strutt between 1856 and 1880, was a British businessman, courtier and politician. Initially a Liberal, he left the party over Irish Home Rule and later he ...

on 2 May 1874. They have eight children. *Lady Mildred Coke (1854 – 12 May 1941), she married

Thomas Anson, 3rd Earl of Lichfield Earl of Lichfield is a title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England (1645 and 1674) and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1831). The third creation is extant and is held by a member of the Anson family. ...

on 5 November 1878. They have six children. *Lt.-Col. Wenman Coke (20 November 1855 – 30 May 1931), died unmarried. Lord Leicester married secondly, Hon. Georgina Cavendish, daughter of

William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham William George Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham (29 October 1815 – 26 June 1882) was a British Liberal politician. Early life Chesham was born on 29 October 1815 into the Cavendish family, headed by the Duke of Devonshire. He was the eldest son o ...

, on 26 August 1875. They had six children: *Major Hon. Richard Coke (20 August 1876 – 14 June 1964), he married Hon. Doreen O'Brien (niece of The Honorable Alice White though her eldest sister) on 21 December 1907 and they were divorced in 1927. They have five children. He remarried Elizabeth Vera Catherine Alice de Beaumont (maternal grandfather

Thomas O'Hagan, 1st Baron O'Hagan Thomas O'Hagan, 1st Baron O'Hagan, KP, PC (Ire), QC (29 May 18121 February 1885), was an Irish lawyer and judge. He served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1868 to 1874 and again from 1880 to 1881. Background and education O'Hagan was bo ...

) on 19 July 1932. They have three children. *Lady Mabel Coke ( 1878 – 29 January 1967), she married James Luddington on 8 August 1929. *Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. Edward Coke (17 October 1879 – 4 September 1944), died unmarried. Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester of Holkham

Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester of Holkham

*Major Hon. Sir John (Jack) Spencer Coke (30 September 1880 – 23 December 1957), he married Hon. Dorothy Lawson (daughter of

Harry Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham Harry Lawson Webster Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham, (18 December 1862 – 20 July 1933) was a British newspaper proprietor. He was originally a Liberal politician before joining the Liberal Unionist Party in the late 1890s. He sat in the Hou ...

) on 15 January 1907. They had three children; Celia, Gerald and Rosemary - later Baroness Hamilton of Dalzell. On 27 November 1951 it was reported that, as her

Equerry An equerry (; from French ' stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually up ...

, Sir Jack had accompanied Queen Mary on a visit to the annual exhibition of the

Royal Society of Portrait Painters The Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a charity based at Carlton House Terrace, SW1, London that promotes the practice and appreciation of portraiture. Its Annual Exhibition of portraiture is held at Mall Galleries, and it runs a commissio ...

at the Royal Institute Galleries. He was appointed

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

Commander,

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

in 1953 and was

Gentleman Usher Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders. Gentlemen Ushers as servants Historical Gentlemen Ushers were originally a class of servants fou ...

to King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

and Extra Gentleman Usher to

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

. The Hon. Sir Jack and the Hon. Dorothy Coke are the parents of Celia Brooksbank née Coke (died 1996) who is the grandmother of

(husband to

Princess Eugenie Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank ( ; Eugenie Victoria Helena; born 23 March 1990) is a member of the British royal family. She is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is a niece of King Ch ...

). In 2018, photos were published which revealed that Sir Jack Coke's daughter - Celia Brooksbank - had been a guest at Hall Barn Estate, the

family seat A family seat or sometimes just called seat is the principal residence of the landed gentry and aristocracy. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families to ...

where her great grandfather,

Edward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baron Burnham Edward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baron Burnham, (28 December 1833 – 9 January 1916), known as Sir Edward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baronet, from 1892 to 1903, was an English newspaper proprietor. He was the owner and publisher of ''The Daily Telegraph''. Bi ...

had enjoyed many shooting parties with King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

. *Captain Hon. Reginald Coke (10 November 1883 – 30 April 1969), he married Katharine Ryder (granddaughter of

Henry Ryder, 4th Earl of Harrowby Henry Dudley Ryder, 4th Earl of Harrowby (3 May 1836 – 11 December 1900), was a British hereditary peer. Early life and education Harrowby was the younger son of Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby and his wife Frances Stuart, fourth daughter ...

) on 17 July 1924. They have two daughters. *Hon. Henry Coke ( 1888 – 1892). *Commander Hon. Lovel William Coke (19 August 1893 – 16 March 1966), died unmarried.

Ancestry

Notes

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, * *
CricketArchive: Earl of Leicester
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leicester, Thomas William Coke, 2nd Earl of 1822 births 1909 deaths 2nd Earl of Leicester Lord-Lieutenants of Norfolk Thomas Coke Deputy Lieutenants of Norfolk English cricketers Knights of the Garter Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club People from Holkham