Henry Manners, 8th Duke Of Rutland

Henry John Brinsley Manners, 8th Duke of Rutland, (16 April 1852 – 8 May 1925), styled Marquess of Granby between 1888 and 1906, was a British peer and Conservative politician.

Early life and education

Rutland was born at Upper Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, the only surviving child of Lord John Manners by his first wife, Catherine Marley, daughter of Colonel George Marley of Belvedere House, County Westmeath, Ireland. Just before Rutland's second birthday, his mother died aged 23 from childbirth complications, weeks after giving birth to a daughter, Edith Katharine Mary, who lived only 12 days.

In 1862, his father remarried to Janetta Hughan. He had four half-siblings from his father's second marriage, including Lord Edward Manners and Lord Cecil Manners. He gained the courtesy title of Marquess of Granby in 1888 when his father succeeded his elder brother in the dukedom.

He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Career

From 1885–88, Rutland was principal private secretary to the Prime Minister Marquess of Salisbury.

In 1888, when his father inherited the Dukedom and took his place in the House of Lords, Rutland succeeded him as Member of Parliament for Melton, a seat he held until 1895. In 1896, he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's subsidiary title of Baron Manners of Haddon.

In 1906, he succeeded his father as eighth Duke of Rutland.

He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment in 1897. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire from November 1900 until his death in 1925, and was also President of the North British Academy of Arts at its inauguration and for many years. In 1918 he was made a Knight Companion of the Garter.

Marriage and issue

Rutland married Violet, daughter of Colonel the Hon. Charles Lindsay, on 25 November 1882. They had five children, though their two youngest were likely fathered by other men:

* Lady (Victoria) Marjorie Harriet Manners (1883–1946), married Charles Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey and had issue.
*Robert Charles John Manners, Lord Haddon (8 August 1885 – 28 September 1894), died young after surgery for intestinal obstruction
* John Henry Montagu Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland (1886–1940), married Kathleen Tennant and had issue.
* Lady Violet Catherine Manners (1888–1971), rumoured to be fathered by Montagu Corry, 1st Baron Rowton. She married firstly, Hugo Charteris, Lord Elcho, son of Hugo Charteris, 11th Earl of Wemyss and had issue, David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss. She married secondly, Guy Benson.
* Lady Diana Olivia Winifred Maud Manners (1892–1986), fathered by her mother's affair with Harry Cust. She married Duff Cooper, later 1st Viscount Norwich, and had one son.

Rutland died in May 1925, aged 73, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his second and only surviving son, John. The Duchess of Rutland died in December 1937, aged 81.

Coat of arms

References

External links

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1852 births
1925 deaths
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Knights of the Garter
Lord-lieutenants of Leicestershire
Granby, Henry Manners, Marquess of
Granby, Henry Manners, Marquess of
Granby, Henry Manners, Marquess of
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Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club
Principal private secretaries to the prime minister
British landowners
People from Mayfair
Nobility from London