Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster, (born Heathcote 1 October 1830 – 24 December 1910), known as Lord Aveland from 1867 to 1888 and as Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1888 to 1892, was a British

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

politician and court official.

Early life

Ancaster was born in

Portman Square Portman Square is a garden square in Marylebone, central London, surrounded by townhouses. It was specifically for private housing let on long leases having a ground rent by the Portman Estate, which owns the private communal gardens. It mar ...

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also ) is an area in London, England, and is located in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. Oxford Street forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropo ...

, London, the son of Gilbert Heathcote, and Hon. Clementina Heathcote (''née'' Drummond-Burrell). He was educated at

Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England * Harrow, London, a town in London * Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) * ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

. In 1856, his father was created Baron Aveland, of Aveland in the County of Lincoln, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1871, his mother succeeded as 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.

Career

In 1852, Ancaster was elected to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

for

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, a seat he held until 1856, and then represented

Rutland Rutland is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Leicestershire to the north and west, Lincolnshire to the north-east, and Northamptonshire to the south-west. Oakham is the largest town and county town. Rutland has a ...

until he succeeded his father as second Baron Aveland in 1867. In 1872, he assumed by Royal licence the additional surnames of Willoughby and Drummond. He held the office of Deputy

Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal but above the Lord High Constable of England, Lord High Constable. The office of Lo ...

from 1871 to 1901 and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1880. In 1888, he succeeded his mother as 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and four years later he was created Earl of Ancaster, in the County of Lincoln, in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great B ...

. This was a revival of the title held by his maternal ancestors the

Dukes of Ancaster and Kesteven Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ...

Personal life

Lord Ancaster married Lady Evelyn Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of

Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly (4 January 1792 – 18 September 1863), styled Lord Strathavon from 1794 to 1836 and Earl of Aboyne from 1836 to 1853, was a Scottish peer, politician, courtier, and cricketer. He was a Member of Parlia ...

, in 1863. Together, they were the parents of ten children: * Lady Evelyn Clementina Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1864–1924), married Maj.-Gen. Sir Henry Ewart, 1st Baronet of White House. * Lady Margaret Mary Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1866–1956), married in 1902 Gideon Macpherson Rutherford, barrister-at-law. * Hon. Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1867–1951), succeeded as 2nd Earl of Ancaster. * Lady Nina Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1869–1940). * Brig.-Gen. Hon. Charles Strathavon Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1870–1949), fought in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

and

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. * Lt.-Col. Hon.

Claud Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby Lieutenant-Colonel Claud Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (15 October 1872 – 24 February 1950) was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician. Career Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby was the second son of Gilbert Heathcote-Dr ...

(1872–1950), fought in the Second Boer War and World War I, and was a Conservative politician. * Lady Cecilie Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1874–1960) married Thomas Clarence Edward Goff. * Lady Alice Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1876–1951). * Lady Mary Adelaide Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1878–1960), married the 14th Earl of Dalhousie and became the mother of both the 15th and the 16th Earl. * Lt-Cdr Hon. Peter Robert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, RN (1885–1914), naval officer killed in the sinking of HMS ''Monmouth'' at the

Battle of Coronel The Battle of Coronel was a First World War naval battle that led to an Imperial German Navy victory over the Royal Navy on 1 November 1914, off the coast of central Chile near the city of Coronel. The East Asia Squadron (''Ostasiengeschwader ...

. Lord Ancaster died on 24 December 1910, aged 80, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son. His tomb stands alongside that of his uncle in the churchyard at

Edenham Edenham ( ) is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven Non-metropolitan district, district of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately north-west of Bourne, Lincolnshire, Bourne, and on the A151 road. While the civil parish is calle ...

in Lincolnshire; together the tombs constitute a Grade II listed building. He owned 31,000 acres.

Notes

References

* ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage,'' 100th Edn, London, 1953. * *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ancaster, Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of 1830 births 1910 deaths Burials in Lincolnshire *25 People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Gilbert Gilbert Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom UK MPs 1852–1857 UK MPs 1857–1859 UK MPs 1859–1865 UK MPs 1865–1868 UK MPs who inherited peerages UK MPs who were granted peerages Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria Heathcote baronets