George Henry Robert Child Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey DL (2 June 1873 – 31 December 1923), was a British peer and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician from the

Villiers family Villiers ( ) is an Nobility, aristocratic family in the United Kingdom. Over time, various members of the Villiers family were made knights, baronets, and peers. Peerages held by the Villiers family include the dukedoms of Duke of Buckingham, Bucki ...

. Villiers was the son of Victor Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, and the Honourable Margaret Elizabeth, daughter of William Henry Leigh, 2nd Baron Leigh.

Public life

Villiers was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and at

New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...

. He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1915 and served briefly as a

Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...

under

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. A Liberal Party (United Kingdom), Liberal Party politician from Wales, he was known for leadi ...

between January and August 1919. He was a Justice of the peace and deputy lieutenant in Oxfordshire and an

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...

and vice chairman for

Oxfordshire County Council Oxfordshire County Council is the county council (upper-tier local authority) for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire in the South East of England. Established in 1889, it is an elected body responsible for most strategic local government ...

and a high steward for the city of Oxford. He also served as a J.P. and an alderman for Middlesex. Lord Jersey sold the

Child & Co Child & Co. is a historic private bank in the United Kingdom, later integrated into the Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS division of the NatWest Group. The bank operated from its long-standing premises at 1 Fleet Street, on the western edge of the C ...

bank, part of the family's inheritance since the 5th Earl married into the Child family, to Glyn, Mills & Co. Bank in 1923. He was a member of the

Ancient Order of Druids The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD) is the oldest neo-druid order in the world. It was formed in London, England, in 1781. Its motto is ''Dieu, Notre Pays et Roy'' (old) and ''Justice, Philanthropy and Brotherly Love''. History 28 November 1781, ...

from 1905.Western Gazette, 25 August 1905

Family

Lord Jersey married Lady Cynthia Almina Constance Mary Needham, daughter of Francis Needham, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey, and Ellen Constance Baldock, on 8 October 1908. They had four children: * George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910 – 1998). * Lady Joan Child Villiers (1911–2010), married David Colville, (who died 1986) grandson of Charles Colville, 1st Viscount Colville of Culross. * Hon. (Edward) Mansel Child Villiers (3 May 1913 – 9 March 1980), married twice (firstly 1934, diss. 1940 to Barbara Mary Frampton and secondly 1946, diss. 1971 to Princess Maria Gloria Pignatelli Aragona Cortez. * Lady Ann Child Villiers (1916 – 2006), married (1937) Major Alexander Henry Elliot (d. 1986).

Notes

References

* 1873 births 1923 deaths 19th-century English nobility 20th-century English nobility 8 George Child Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers Deputy lieutenants of Oxfordshire Earls in the Jacobite peerage Members of Middlesex County Council Members of the Ancient Order of Druids Viscounts Grandison {{England-earl-stub