Marquess Townshend is a title 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 ...

held by the Townshend family of

Raynham Hall Raynham Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. For nearly 400 years it has been the seat of the Townshend family. The hall gave its name to the five estate villages, known as The Raynhams, and is reported to be haunted, providing the scene ...

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

. The title was created in 1787 for

George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, PC (28 February 172414 September 1807), known as The Viscount Townshend from 1764 to 1787, was a British soldier and politician. After serving at the Battle of Dettingen during the War of t ...

History

The Townshend family descends from Roger Townshend, who in 1617 was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk, 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 ...

. He later represented Orford and

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 younger son, the third Baronet (who succeeded his elder brother), played an important role in the restoration of the monarchy after the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

and was also

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 Norfolk. In 1661 he was created Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk, and in 1682 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk. Both titles were in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...

. He was succeeded by his son, the second Viscount. He was a prominent statesman and served as

Secretary of State for the Northern Department The Secretary of State for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet of the government of Great Britain up to 1782, when the Northern Department became the Foreign Office. History Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of St ...

from 1714 to 1716 and from 1721 to 1730. Lord Townshend is also remembered for the agricultural reforms he undertook at his Norfolk estate and gained the nickname "Turnip Townshend". His eldest son, the third Viscount, briefly represented

Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...

in the House of Commons. However, in 1723, during his father's lifetime, he was summoned to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

through a

writ of acceleration A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, is a type of writ of summons that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with more than one peerage to attend the British or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father ...

in his father's junior title of Baron Townshend (although he was styled "Lord Lynn", taken from the territorial designation of the barony, to distinguish him from his father). Lord Townshend later served as

Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk. Since 1689, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Norfolk. *William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, 1549 – *Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sus ...

. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the fourth Viscount. He was a

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

in the Army and served as

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the Kingdo ...

and as

Master-General of the Ordnance The Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) was a very senior British military position from 1415 to 2013 (except 1855–1895 and 1939–1958) with some changes to the name, usually held by a serving general. The Master-General of the Ordnance was ...

. In 1787 he was created Marquess Townshend in the

. Lord Townshend married as his first wife Charlotte Compton, 16th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley and 7th Baroness Compton. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Marquess. He had already on his mother's death in 1770 succeeded in the baronies Ferrers of Chartley and

Compton Compton may refer to: Places Canada * Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal electoral district * Compton (provincial electoral district), a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton * Compton, Que ...

. In 1784, 23 years before he succeeded his father, he was created Earl of Leicester in the Peerage of Great Britain. His choice of title derived from his descent from Lady Lucy Sydney, daughter of

Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1 December 1595 – 2 November 1677) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625 and then succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester. Life Sidney was born a ...

(a title which had become extinct in 1743). Lord Townshend later held office as

Master of the Mint Master of the Mint is a title within the Royal Mint given to the most senior person responsible for its operation. It was an important office in the governments of Scotland and England, and later Great Britain and then the United Kingdom, between ...

, as Joint

Postmaster General A Postmaster General, in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters. The practice of having a government official respons ...

and as

Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Household in England. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance ...

. His son, the third Marquess, was childless. On his death in 1855 the earldom of Leicester became extinct while the baronies of Ferrers of Chartley and Compton fell into

abeyance Abeyance (from the Old French ''abeance'' meaning "gaping") is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. ...

. He was succeeded in the other titles by his first cousin, the fourth Marquess. He was the son of

Lord John Townshend Lord John Townshend PC (19 January 1757 – 23 February 1833), styled The Honourable John Townshend until 1787, was a British Whig politician. Background Townshend was the second son of Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, ...

, second son of the first Marquess. Lord Townshend was a

Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...

in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

and also sat as Member of Parliament for Tamworth. His son, the fifth Marquess, also represented Tamworth 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 ...

). the titles are held by the latter's great-grandson, the eighth Marquess, who succeeded his father in April 2010. Several other members of the Townshend family have also gained distinction.

Charles Townshend Charles Townshend (28 August 1725 – 4 September 1767) was a British politician who held various titles in the Parliament of Great Britain. His establishment of the controversial Townshend Acts is considered one of the key causes of the Ame ...

, second son of the third Viscount, was a prominent statesman and orator and served as

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...

from 1766 to 1767. The politician

Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (24 February 1733 – 30 June 1800) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1754 to 1783 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Sydney. He held several important Cabinet posts in t ...

, after whom the town of

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, was named, was the son of the Hon. Thomas Townshend, second son of the second Viscount. Sydney's grandson was the Liberal politician

John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney John Robert Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney (9 August 1805 – 14 February 1890), known as The Viscount Sydney between 1831 and 1874, was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician. In a ministerial career spanning over 30 years, he was twice ...

Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning PC (27 August 1728 – 19 May 1810) was a British politician. Background and education Bayning was the only son of William Townshend, third son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend. George Townshend, ...

, was the son of the Hon.

William Townshend William Townshend may refer to: *William Townshend (MP) (1702–1738), British MP *William Townshend (colonial governor) William Townshend (c. 1745 – December 5, 1816) was a British politician and office holder, operating mainly in the colony ...

, third son of the second Viscount. See also Roger Townshend,

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

George Townshend George Townshend may refer to: *George Townshend (Royal Navy officer) (1715–1769), British naval commander *George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1724–1807), British field marshal, his nephew *George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend (1753� ...

Lord Charles Townshend Charles Townshend (1725–1767) was a British Chancellor of the Exchequer. Charles Townshend may also refer to: *Charles Fox Townshend (1795–1817), founder of the Eton Society *Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend (1700–1764), father of th ...

Lord James Townshend Captain (naval), Captain Lord James Nugent Boyle Bernardo Townshend Royal Guelphic Order, KCH (11 September 1785 – 28 June 1842), was a British naval commander and Tory (political faction), Tory politician. Townshend was the younger son of Ge ...

Charles Fox Townshend Charles Fox Townshend (28 June 1795 – 1817) was the founder of the Eton Society. Townshend was the eldest son of Lord John Townshend, second son of George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend. His mother was Georgiana Anne, daughter of William Poyn ...

and

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend. As Lord Townshend holds no titles with names different from his main title, the territorial designation from his viscountcy is used for his heir, who is styled ''Viscount Raynham''. Between 1807 and 1855 the courtesy title was ''Earl of Leicester'' (although the title was not used from 1811 to 1855 as there was no a real

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 ...

to the marquessate during this period, but earldom "usurped" by

John Dunn-Gardner John Dunn-Gardner (20 July 1811 – 11 January 1903), of Soham Mere and of Chatteris House, Isle of Ely, in Cambridgeshire (born as John Margetts, known as John Townshend from 1823–43 and styled by the courtesy title Earl of Leicester from 18 ...

in 1823–1843), while from 1782 to 1855 the courtesy title used by the heir apparent to the earldom of Leicester was ''Lord Ferrers of Chartley'' (and consequently was not used from 1811 to 1855 as there was no a real heir apparent either to the earldom or marquessate). The current Marquess holds the subsidiary titles: Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the

County of Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nort ...

(created 1682); Baron Townshend, of

Lynn Regis King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, nor ...

in the County of Norfolk (created 1661); Townshend

Baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

, 'of Raynham in the County of Norfolk' (created 1617), all of which in the Peerage of England. As noted above, due to being of the same name as the primary title, the Viscountcy has been called "Viscount Raynham" and the Barony "Baron Lynn". The family seat is

Fakenham Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north west of Norwich. The town is the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to Norwic ...

Townshend baronets, of Raynham (1617)

Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet (c.1596 – 1 January 1637), was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two parliaments between 1621 and 1629. Family Townshend was the son of Sir John Townshend (died 1603) of ...

(1596–1637) * Sir Roger Townshend, 2nd Baronet (1628–1648) * Sir Horatio Townshend, 3rd Baronet (1630–1687) (created Baron Townshend in 1661 and Viscount Townshend in 1682)

Viscounts Townshend (1682)

Horatio Townshend, 1st Viscount Townshend Horatio Townshend, 1st Baron Townsend and 1st Viscount Townshend (; 14 December 1630 – 10 December 1687), known as Sir Horatio Townshend, 3rd Baronet, of Raynham, from 1648 to 1661, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons betw ...

(1630–1687) *

Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, (; 18 April 167421 June 1738) was an English Whig statesman. He served for a decade as Secretary of State for the Northern Department, 1714–1717, 1721–1730. He directed British foreign policy in ...

(1674–1738) *

Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend (11 July 1700 – 12 March 1764), known as The Lord Lynn from 1723 to 1738, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1722 to 1723 when he was elevated to the House of Lords by wri ...

(1700–1764) *

(1724–1807) (created Marquess Townshend in 1787)

Marquesses Townshend (1787)

George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, PC (28 February 172414 September 1807), known as The Viscount Townshend from 1764 to 1787, was a British soldier and politician. After serving at the Battle of Dettingen during the War of t ...

(1724–1807) * George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend, 1st Earl of Leicester (1753–1811) * George Ferrars Townshend, 3rd Marquess Townshend, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1778–1855) *

John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend Rear Admiral John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend (28 March 1798 – 10 September 1863), known as John Townshend until 1855, was a British nobleman, peer, politician, and naval commander. Townshend was the son of Lord John Townshend, younger ...

(1798–1863) * John Villiers Stuart Townshend, 5th Marquess Townshend (1831–1899) * John James Dudley Stuart Townshend, 6th Marquess Townshend (1866–1921) * George John Patrick Dominic Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend (1916–2010) *Charles George Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend (b. 1945) The

is the present holder's son Thomas Charles Townshend, Viscount Raynham (b. 1977).
The heir apparent's heir presumptive is his son Hon. Rafe Thomas Townshend (b. 2014).
* ''George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1724–1807)'' **''

(1757–1833)'' *** ''John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend (1798–1863)'' **** ''John Townshend, 5th Marquess Townshend (1831–1899)'' ***** ''John Townshend, 6th Marquess Townshend (1866–1921)'' ****** ''George Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend (1916–2010)'' ******* Charles Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend (b. 1945) ********(1). Thomas Townshend, Viscount Raynham (b. 1977) *********(2). Hon. Rafe Thomas Townshend (b. 2014) *******(3). Lord John Patrick Townshend (b. 1962) ********(4). George Townshend (b. 2003) ***''Rev. Lord George Osborne Townshend (1801–1876)'' ****''George Ferrars Townshend (1854–1942)'' *****''Ferrars Ernest Osborne Townshend (1882–1953)'' ******''Henry George Townshend (1911–1979)'' *******''Ferrars Edwin Townshend (1944–2017)'' ********(5). Hamish Richard Townshend (b. 1982) ********(6). Nicholas John Townshend (b. 1984) *******(7). Anthony Stuart Townshend (b. 1956) ****''Ernest Edwin Townshend (1858–1945)'' *****''Clifford Edwin Townshend (1884–1958)'' ******''John Edwin Townshend (1918–1990)'' *******(8). Keith Edwin Townshend (b. 1948) ********(9). David John Edwin Townshend (b. 1982) ********(10). James Raynham Townshend (b. 1983) ******(11). George Maling Townshend (b. 1921) *******(12). Colin David Townshend (b. 1948) ********(13). Glen David Townshend (b. 1971) ********(14). Zane Colin Townshend (b. 1972) ******''Charles Roberts Townshend (1926–1987)'' *******(15). Robert Paul Townshend (b. 1965)

Notes

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, *

External links

Townshend family website
*http://home.worldonline.co.za/~townshend/lordsarms.htm#top {{DEFAULTSORT:Townshend Marquessates in the Peerage of Great Britain

Marquess Townshend Marquess Townshend is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. The title was created in 1787 for George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend. History The Townshend family descends from Rog ...

1617 establishments in England Noble titles created in 1787 People from Raynham, Norfolk