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William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2a02:c7f:1238:dd00:f16b:78bd:9620:a7ca (talk) at 13:29, 25 May 2020 (Placed his role as governor of Northern Ireland first due to that being the last role he held.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Not to be confused with Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet.
Vice-Admiral The Right Honourable
The Earl Granville
KG GCVO CB DSO
2nd Governor of Northern Ireland
In office
7 September 1945 – 1 December 1952
MonarchsGeorge VI
Elizabeth II
Preceded byThe Duke of Abercorn
Succeeded byThe Lord Wakehurst
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
In office
1937–1945
MonarchGeorge VI
Preceded bySir Montagu Butler
Succeeded bySir Geoffrey Bromet
Personal details
Born
William Spencer Leveson-Gower

11 July 1880
Died25 June 1953 (aged 72)
NationalityBritish
Spouse(s)Lady Rose Constance Bowes-Lyon
(m. 1916–53; his death)
Children2
Parent(s)Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville
Castila Rosalind Campbell
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/service Royal Navy
Years of service1894 - 1935
RankVice Admiral
CommandsCoast of Scotland
Battles/warsWorld War I
Garter-encircled coat of arms of William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville, KG, as displayed on his Order of the Garter stall plate in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Vice-Admiral William Spencer Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville, KG, GCVO, CB, DSO (11 July 1880 – 25 June 1953), styled The Honourable William Leveson-Gower until 1939, was a British naval commander and governor from the Leveson-Gower family.

Background

Leveson-Gower was the younger son of Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, by his second wife Castila Rosalind Campbell.

Career

After Wixenford School, William Leveson-Gower joined the Royal Navy in 1894.[1] He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant in 1900, and lieutenant on 26 June 1902,[2] when he was re-appointed to the torpedo cruiser HMS Scout.[3] In August 1902 he was posted to HMS Hood, serving with the Mediterranean Fleet.[4]

Promotion to commander followed in 1913.[1] He served in First World War and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1919.[1]

He was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1924, aide-de-camp to the King in 1929 and Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland in 1931.[1] He was made a Companion of the Bath in 1930 and retired in 1935.[1]

Leveson-Gower became Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man in 1937.[5] In 1939 he succeeded his elder brother in the earldom.[5] Granville was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1945 and became Governor of Northern Ireland in 1945, serving until 1952.[5] He was made a Knight of the Garter that same year.[5]

Family

In 1916, Lord Granville married Lady Rose Bowes-Lyon, the second surviving daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and elder sister of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. They had two children, five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren:

  • Lady Mary Cecilia Leveson-Gower (12 December 1917 – 13 February 2014), who married Sir Samuel Clayton on 7 July 1956. They have two children and have one grandson:
    • Gilbert Falkingham Clayton (4 September 1958), who married Rosalind Mullen in 1994. They have one son:
      • Samuel Wittewronge Kit Clayton (February 2002)
    • Rose Cecilia Clayton (25 January 1960), who married William Wordie Stancer on 9 July 1993.
  • Granville James Leveson-Gower, 5th Earl Granville (6 December 1918 – 31 October 1996), who married Doon Aileen Plunket on 9 October 1958. They have three children and nine grandchildren:
    • Granville George Fergus Leveson-Gower, 6th Earl Granville (10 September 1959), who married Anne Topping on 23 May 1997. They have three children:
      • Lady Rose Alice Leveson-Gower (16 April 1998)
      • George James Leveson-Gower, Lord Leveson (22 July 1999)
      • Lady Violet May Leveson-Gower (5 August 2002)
    • Lady Marcia Rose Aileen Leveson-Gower (10 February 1961 – 3 August 2005), who married Jonathan Charles Bulmer in 1986. They have four children:
      • Hesper Rose Constance Bulmer (1990)
      • James Alexander Howard Bulmer (1992)
      • Hector Charles Marcus Bulmer (1993)
      • Lara Bulmer (29 August 1995)
    • Hon. Niall James Leveson-Gower (24 August 1963), who married Amanda Blaxell in 1996. They have one set of twins:
      • Charlie Leveson-Gower (14 February 2000)
      • Honor Leveson-Gower (14 February 2000)

Lord Granville died in June 1953, aged 72. He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. The Countess Granville died in 1967.[5]

Flag of the Governor of Northern Ireland

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville Video". Ovguide.com. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  2. ^ "No. 27448". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 26 June 1902. p. 4198.
  3. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36810. London. 3 July 1902. p. 8. template uses deprecated parameter(s) (help)
  4. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36826. London. 22 July 1902. p. 11. template uses deprecated parameter(s) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e "The Peerage". The Peerage. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland
1931–1933 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
1937–1945 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Northern Ireland
1945–1952 		Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl Granville
2nd creation
1939–1953 		Succeeded by

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