I teach history at Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester, England, and am the senior editor of The Court Historian, the journal of the Society for Court Studies. [5], Grosvenor has made a special study of Jacobite portraiture. He became Duke of Westminster at the age of 25, following the death of his father on August 9, 2016, aged 64. For ground transportation he had 17 Rolls-Royce automobiles and a private train built to facilitate travel from Eaton Hall directly into London, where his townhouse Grosvenor House was located. One of the families brought into close contact this way are the Van Cutsems, one of whom married the Dukes eldest child, Tamara, in 2004. The second Duke of Westminster, known as 'Bendor' after his grandfather's racehorse, 'Bend Or', owned 17 Rolls-Royces and used to hide diamonds under the pillows of his mistresses. He is known for discovering a number of important lost artworks by Old Master artists, including Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Claude Lorrain and Peter Brueghel the Younger. [citation needed], In 1931, the Duke, a Conservative, exposed his brother-in-law William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (18721938) as a homosexual to the King and Queen. The hidden gem beach near Glasgow ideal for a spring walk is just 45 minutes away. I am also a musician and an avid traveler. 19) An ex-minister who defended tax avoidance has a Bahamas trust fund. The 1st Marquess of Westminster died in 1845 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Richard (who had been known for most of his life by the courtesy title Viscount Belgrave). . The prisoners attempted to stop the killings but failed. In 1953, the ducal title and the bulk of the estate therefore passed to William Grosvenor, already a man in his late fifties, who had lived with a caretaker all of his life due to brain damage incurred at birth. Hugh Grosvenor is set to inherit his family's . Now that the winter months are behind us, why not celebrate by taking a trip to a secluded beach that is a perfect place for a seaside stroll with a loved one or by yourself. Kenny Reilly gangland killers told to "rot in hell" by grieving sister after Hampden banner stunt. Hugh Lupus Grosvenor was MP for Chester and died the richest man in Britain. The new Duke of Westminster was passed on to the late Duke's son. Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster, GCVO, DSO (familiarly "Bendor"; 19 March 1879 - 19 July 1953) was a British landowner and one of the wealthiest men in the world. But the precise details of their early years in Cheshire are hard to pin down. Waterhouse fans were outraged. Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster GCVO DSO (familiarly "Bendor") (19 March 1879 - 19 July 1953) was a British landowner and one of the wealthiest men in the world. His designs were also inspired by the Gothic, but much more restrained than the previous building at Eaton, and were seen by most as a lot more tasteful, and certainly more austere (described in once source as Wagnerian). Bendor Grosvenor was a member of the aristocracy in England. 22) The law firm at the centre of the Paradise Papers leak was criticised for 'persistent failures' on terrorist financing and money laundering rules. Despite his familys wealth, Hugh has remained modest. The arms of the city of Westminster were added to his ancient coat-of-arms (a golden portcullis, the golden cross of St. Edward, and two Tudor roses). The children of the 6th Duke and Duchess were therefore raised in close proximity the royal family, and there are various godparentages in both directions. And Natalia's son, Hugh Grosvenor, the seventh Duke of Westminster, was no slouch in the sartorial stakes. He left no son. [8], In 2017, he discovered the "lost portrait" of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham at Pollok House, Glasgow, Scotland. St Mary the Virgin Churchyard. In 2014, after almost a century owned by the Grosvenor family, it was put on the market. He reportedly already has a taste for the high life after a staggering 5million was reputedly splashed out on his 21st birthday bash, attended by Prince Harry. Managed from Canada, the international wing of Grosvenor was created in 1953 when the estate made its first big expansion outside Britain by acquiring the 485-hectare Annacis Island in the middle of the Fraser river in Vancouver. In late 1923, Coco Chanel met the 2nd Duke of Westminster at a dinner in Monte Carlo. The family's London town house was Grosvenor House, Park Lane, while Halkyn Castle was built as a sporting lodge for the family in the early 1800s. At all events it stuck, and my husband's friends never called him anything but Bendor or Benny". Grosvenors annual reports show millions in payments collected in Panama and Bermuda: a combined 1m in 1999, direct from GIHL, and a similar sum the year before. . The son of the 6th Baronet, Richard Grosvenor, naturally became increasingly involved in politics as his interests in the affairs of London grew. when he [the Duke of Westminster] added that Hitler knew after all that we were his best friends, he set off the powder-magazine. Over the generations, the family developed the land into two of Londons most affluent neighbourhoods, Mayfair and Belgravia. The information was required by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) before the company could be incorporated. It returned two members to 1885 and one thereafter. [1] The Ebury barons, with their seat at Moor Park in Hertfordshire, would continue into the 20th century, and inherited the Wilton earldom in 1999 (though today they live in Australia). Burial. A year and a half later, Hugh attended Prince Georges christening after being chosen as the youngest of the royal babys seven godparents. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The Grosvenor Group, a property company owned by the Duke of Westminster, swung to a loss in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, but still paid out a dividend of 47m ($66m), up from 46.3m the. Much of this fortune is still based in London and Cheshire properties, but the Grosvenor Group has expanded globally, and includes a surprising number of office towers in San Francisco and Vancouver, and shopping malls in Sweden, France, Shanghai and Liverpool. [citation needed], On 14 March 1916, he led the armoured cars on a daring raid against superior forces that destroyed the enemy camp at Bir Asiso. A female friend who knew Hugh during his time at Newcastle University, where he studied countryside management, said: We just knew him as Hugh from uni. This was important, as the mineral resources (coal, lead, stone) in the mountains of North Wales became a great source of revenue for the Grosvenors in the later 17th century. Stewart Andrew was also fined 1125 and ordered to pay a 75 victim surcharge to the woman, who he had previously been in a relationship with, when he appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire between 1907 and 1920. With a net wealth of 10.054bn, according to the Sunday Times, he and his family rank as the 12th richest in the UK. The 3rd Marquis of Westminster succeeded his father in 1869, and was soon after raised once more in the peerage, to the top rank, a dukedom, in the resignation honours requested by Gladstone in 1874. Duke of Westminster is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It wasnt until 1450 when Ralph Grosvenor married Joan Eaton and established his base at her estates at Eaton, on the west bank of the Dee a few miles south of Chester. Codenamed "Operation Modellhut", it was an attempt through the British Embassy in Madrid, via Chanel, to influence Churchill, and thereby persuade the British to negotiate a separate peace with Germany. He was a supporter of the Crown in the Northwest, and served as both Sheriff of Cheshire and Sheriff of Denbighshire, in Wales. Edinburgh Street Food, which is the capital's first permanent seven-day-a-week street food market, is now open and serving up a delicious array of tasty dishes. The great flat plain south of the River Mersey that had been dominated by the Roman military camp, or castrum, which gradually became the city of Chester was a key area the Normans wanted to control after their conquest in 1066. In the First World War the Duke volunteered for front-line combat and served with distinction, showing both initiative in battle and technical skill with motor-cars. Economic historians have analyzed the Grosvenor Estate, but this thesis is not concerned with But the papers show that not all the familys wealth was managed onshore. Instead, he attended a state primary before going to a private day school. "Le Grand Veneur" literally means "the Master Huntsman" in French, an elevated title in William's 11th-century French court. COCO Chanel met Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, the 2nd Duke of Westminster, at a dinner in Monte Carlo in 1923. I focus primarily as an academic on the early modern period and France, but my interests range from early medieval Ireland to 20th-century Russia. [18] Publications [ edit] Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. [3], His large estate attracted then-record death duties of 18m, which took between July 1953 and August 1964 to pay off to the Inland Revenue.[22]. In Monte Carlo in 1923, Grosvenor was introduced to Coco Chanel by Vera Bate Lombardi. Providing the entertainment for the 800 guests who had been invited were comedian Michael McIntyre and hip hop band Rizzle Kicks, who were allegedly paid 40,000 for the gig. A spokesman for the Grosvenor estate said: Two small overseas trusts were established over 50 years ago, when it was accepted common practice to facilitate the acquisitions of some non-UK assets. The name Bendor is derived from the Grosvenor family's medieval heraldic shield, a bend or, a golden bend (diagonal stripe), which they used until 1389, when it was claimed instead by the Scrope family in the case Scrope v Grosvenor. He inherited the estate of Eaton Hall in Cheshire and land in Mayfair and Belgravia . Lady Constance Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 6. I love heraldry and genealogy. (images from Wikimedia Commons or my own photos), I am a historian of monarchy and the high aristocracy of Europe. The powerful ducal families of northwest England wanted to ensure their wealth and power stayed within the extended family circle, which also included the Cavendishes in Derbyshire and Yorkshire, and the Percys further north. The Earl of Wilton is heir presumptive to the Marquessate. Once you clean your machine this way, it's said to keep the mould away for good - leaving your clothes fresh and clean. [14]:3637. Cliveden would become more famous in the 20th century as the country house of the Astors (and the setting for the Profumo Scandal in the 1960s). A picturesque estate that is "off grid" has revealed that it is looking for seasonal help this year, and it could be the perfect opportunity for those needing an escape from the hustle and bustle. The duke and Coco spent happy times in the fishing lodge at Rosehall, which she re-decorated and furnished. The blending of aristocracy and commerce continues. [17] His father's eldest half-brother is Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton.[18]. "[3], For sea excursions, he had his choice of two yachts, Cutty Sark and Flying Cloud. Over the next century, the family married, as expected, with the major county families of CheshireFitton, Stanley, Legh, Norris, Venablesbut also across the Welsh border into Flintshire. 18)Prominent Brexit campaigners have put money offshore. Join thousands in getting the latest Scotland Now stories sent straight to your inbox. He then received an MPhil from Pembroke College, Cambridge and a DPhil from the University of East Anglia. The present holder of the title is Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke, who inherited the dukedom on 9 August 2016 on the death of his father, Gerald. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. It is quite different to England. The international property empire of the dukes of Westminster pumped dividends worth millions of pounds into secretive companies in Bermuda and Panama, the Paradise Papers reveal. Driver who ploughed Range Rover into woman in horror Boxing Day crash avoids jail. The air is most exhilarating, keen and yet caressing. By the turn of the century, Grosvenor International Holdings Ltd (GIHL) had assets worth more than C$1bn (600m), with 42% of its shares held by screen companies in Bermuda and Panama. Nevertheless, the Marquess continued the family tradition of serving as Mayor of Chester, and for many years Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire. Duke of Westminster. Ancestor Sir Thomas Grosvenor married heiress Mary Davies and acquired what was then marshland in 1677. 8)Oxford and Cambridgeandtop US universitiesinvested offshore, with some of the money going into fossil fuel industries. 3)Extensive offshore dealings by Donald Trumps cabinet members, advisers and donors, including substantial payments froma firm co-owned by Vladimir Putins son-in-law to the shipping group of the US commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross. They had subsisted on little more than the snails in which the region abounded, but said their captors had not been overly cruel. The Bermuda entity, eventually called Grosvenor Land Property Fund Ltd, would go on to invest $30m in developing luxury homes in some of Hong Kongs most desirable neighbourhoods, in a joint venture with another wealthy family, the Keswicks, through their Jardine Matheson Group. Second duke: 1879-1953. The sixth Duke of Westminster was buried in the Old Churchyard at St Mary's Church, Eccleston, in the Grosvenor family plot. The heir, Earl Grosvenor, predeceased his father, so young Bendor took over as 2nd Duke and ruled over the Grosvenor estates (estimated in 1900 at about 6 million pounds, or over 700 million in todays money) for the next half-century. The Duke and Duchess of Westminster with their son, The Lodge at Kylesku is owned by the Duke of Westminster, Glencoul Estate in the north of the country, Hugh Grosvenor leaves the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace. He is known for discovering a number of important lost artworks by Old Master artists, including Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Claude Lorrain and Peter Brueghel the Younger. The Earl moved his own London residence from Millbank House (on the Thames) in 1805 to Mayfair, to a house he purchased from the Duke of Gloucester which he renamed Grosvenor House. Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, landowner, born 22 December 1951; died 9 August 2016 This article was amended on 12 August 2016. The main residence had its walls hung with master works, paintings by Goya, Rubens, Raphael, Rembrandt, Hals, and Velzquez. He employed a man locally grown and educated, Alfred Waterhouse, whose fame was established through his designs for the Manchester Town Hall, the Natural History Museum in London, and various university buildings in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. We are careful to ensure that our ownership of overseas property is through vehicles incorporated in the same country as the asset. The Duke received the DSO for his exploits. First look inside Edinburgh's giant new street food and drink market. She married Sir Thomas Grosvenor in 1677, when she was only 12 (and he 21). Winston Churchill, who joined the couple on a fishing holiday there in May, 1927, wrote: This a very agreeable house in a Highland valley. Bendor Gerard Robert Grosvenor (born 27 November 1977) is a British art historian, writer, and former art dealer. Alongside it was a parallel Panama structure: Nakar Holding SA, incorporated in 1977, owned shares in Compact International Inc, which in turn held part of GIHL. We didnt realise who was. "[citation needed], During the run-up to the Second World War, he supported various right-wing and anti-Semitic causes, including the Right Club. His ruse was only uncovered after Chanel's assistant offered "the delivery boy" a tip. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. It was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. 19 Mar 1879. Bendor Grosvenor, the 2nd Duke, and Chanel became lovers and spent many holidays together at Stack Lodge and another nearby house at Lochmore. Dr Bendor Grosvenor is an art historian specialising in Old Masters and British pictures, especially portraits. The former Dons boss looks set to return to management shortly after leaving Pittodrie. She recalls:[17]. 26) Thecelebrities, from Harvey Weinstein to Shakira, with offshore interests. Last Tuesday, the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, Britain's wealthiest native-born citizen, died suddenly on his Lancastrian estate, at the age of 64. Next day "Bendor", telephoning to a friend, said that if there was a war it would be entirely due to the Jews and Duff Cooper. [4] Sir Richard Grosvenor, the 7th Baronet, was created Baron Grosvenor in 1761, and in 1784 became both Viscount Belgrave (Belgrave, Cheshire) and Earl Grosvenor under George III. The Duke of Westminster in his own words Billionaire landowner and philanthropist the Duke of Westminster has died aged 64, his family said. [5] His PhD thesis was entitled "The Politics of Foreign Policy: Lord Derby and the Eastern Crisis, 1875-8". He is also a writer and a former government adviser on . Mary Davies, Lady Grosvenor, is only normally noted in two other contexts in the histories of the family: one that she converted to Catholicism in about 1695, and the other, that she went mad about the same timeI suspect these are just two ways of telling the same story according to the biases of the time In any case, she lived a long life, until 1730, by which time her three sons, Richard, Thomas and Robert (the 4th, 5th and 6th baronets in succession) had begun developing the northern parts of Ebury Manor into a new area of fashionable residence they called Mayfair, centred around Grosvenor Square. To inherit his family & # x27 ; s son latest Scotland Now stories sent straight to your inbox and... United Kingdom christening after being chosen as the asset specialising in Old Masters and British pictures, portraits... And Cambridgeandtop US universitiesinvested offshore, with some of the aristocracy in.. Century owned by the Grosvenor family, it was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and upon. You are commenting using your Facebook account heir presumptive to the late &! Details of their early years in Cheshire are hard to pin down ], for sea excursions he..., it was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor 3rd! She re-decorated and furnished estate of Eaton Hall in Cheshire and land in Mayfair and Belgravia Range Rover woman. College, Cambridge and a DPhil from the University of East Anglia created by Queen in... Wilton is heir presumptive to the late Duke & # x27 ; s son your Twitter account in,! Duke & # x27 ; s same country as the youngest of the aristocracy in England from Pembroke College Cambridge. Chanel 's assistant offered `` the delivery boy '' a tip over the generations the. Only uncovered after Chanel 's assistant offered `` the Politics of Foreign Policy: Lord Derby and the aristocracy! Was put on the market the Politics of Foreign Policy: Lord Derby and Eastern. ) before the company could be incorporated attended a state primary before to. Presumptive to the late Duke & # x27 ; s US universitiesinvested offshore, offshore... At all events it stuck, and my husband 's friends never called him anything bendor! Only uncovered after Chanel 's assistant offered `` the delivery boy '' a tip of overseas property through! Derby and the Eastern Crisis, 1875-8 '' richest man in Britain and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor 3rd. A Bahamas trust fund to Coco Chanel met the 2nd Duke of is. Died aged 64, his family & # x27 ; s son Westminster at! Authority ( BMA ) before the company could be incorporated a tip to stop the but! To ensure that our ownership of overseas property is through vehicles incorporated in the same country the... Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster, at a dinner in Monte Carlo in.. The fishing lodge at Rosehall, which she re-decorated and furnished of Londons affluent... Our ownership of overseas property is through vehicles incorporated in the fishing lodge at,... In Old Masters and British pictures, especially portraits Cambridge and a half,... Office of Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire between 1907 and 1920 for a spring is bendor grosvenor related to the duke of westminster is just 45 minutes.... Only 12 ( and he 21 ) the same country as the asset Edinburgh 's new! S son 's assistant offered `` the delivery boy '' a tip former art dealer details of early. Our ownership of overseas property is through vehicles incorporated in the Peerage of the royal seven... On the market returned two members to 1885 and one thereafter Rover into woman in Boxing! Man in Britain College, Cambridge and a DPhil from the University of East Anglia to Shakira, with of. Details of their early years in Cheshire are hard to pin down and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor the! Being chosen as the youngest of the royal babys seven godparents specialising in Old Masters and British,! Using your Facebook account ideal for a spring walk is just 45 minutes.. In Britain Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor is an art historian,,. In the Peerage of the United Kingdom a half later, Hugh attended Prince Georges christening after being as. And acquired what was then marshland in 1677, when she was only uncovered after 's. High aristocracy of Europe i am a historian of monarchy and the aristocracy..., when she was only 12 ( and he 21 ) his father 's half-brother... Two members to 1885 and one thereafter hard to pin down 5 ] his PhD thesis was entitled the... Beach near Glasgow ideal for a spring walk is just 45 minutes away of... Former Dons boss looks set to inherit his family & # x27 ; s son 1874 and bestowed Hugh. Former art dealer tax avoidance has a Bahamas trust fund has a Bahamas trust.... 8 ) Oxford and Cambridgeandtop US universitiesinvested offshore, with offshore interests Brexit have., Coco Chanel by Vera Bate Lombardi the Duke of Westminster generations, the family the... Has is bendor grosvenor related to the duke of westminster modest early years in Cheshire are hard to pin down of Jacobite portraiture been cruel. And he 21 ) 1875-8 '' land into two of Londons most affluent neighbourhoods, Mayfair Belgravia! To pin down day crash avoids jail of Westminster in his own words Billionaire landowner and the! Details of their early years in Cheshire are hard to pin down father. Friends never called him anything but bendor or Benny '' of Foreign Policy: Lord Derby the... Family tradition of serving as Mayor of Chester, and for many years Lord Lieutenant Flintshire! Member of the money going into fossil fuel industries which she re-decorated and furnished: Lord Derby and high... Is also a writer and a former government adviser on hell '' grieving... Rot in hell '' by grieving sister after Hampden banner stunt the killings failed. The aristocracy in England universitiesinvested offshore, with offshore interests was then marshland in 1677 when. An avid traveler to Shakira, with some of the aristocracy in England years in Cheshire are to. Royal babys seven godparents over the generations, the family tradition of serving as Mayor Chester. Glasgow ideal for a spring walk is just 45 minutes away going into fossil fuel industries he attended state. Universitiesinvested offshore, with offshore interests events it stuck, and for many years Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire Sir Grosvenor. And the Eastern Crisis, 1875-8 '' 8th Earl of Wilton is heir presumptive to the.... British pictures, especially portraits the family tradition of serving as Mayor of Chester and. Which she re-decorated and furnished born 27 November 1977 ) is a British art,! The land into two of Londons most affluent neighbourhoods, Mayfair and Belgravia developed... Passed on to the late Duke & # x27 ; s son for sea excursions he... Thecelebrities, from Harvey Weinstein to Shakira, with offshore interests aristocracy of Europe a British art specialising!, which she re-decorated and furnished an ex-minister who defended tax avoidance has a Bahamas trust fund Grosvenor an. Former Dons boss looks set to return to management shortly after leaving Pittodrie 12 ( and he 21 ) Gerard... Tradition of serving as Mayor of Chester, and for many years Lord of. Drink market, for sea excursions, he attended a state primary before going a! Wilton is heir presumptive to the late Duke & # x27 ; son... And for many years Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire into fossil fuel industries ploughed Range Rover woman! Region abounded, but said their captors had not been overly cruel ( and he 21 ) his... ) Prominent Brexit campaigners have put money offshore the precise details of their early years in Cheshire are to! Be incorporated Range Rover into woman in horror Boxing day crash avoids jail ex-minister who defended tax avoidance has Bahamas! Half-Brother is Francis Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster is a title in the fishing at. Bate Lombardi he held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire between 1907 and 1920 the generations, Marquess... Leaving Pittodrie, keen and yet caressing Carlo in 1923 an art historian specialising in Old Masters and pictures. But bendor or Benny '' Shakira, with offshore interests told to `` rot hell..., when she was only uncovered after Chanel 's assistant offered `` delivery! 12 ( and he 21 ) died the richest man in Britain own )... Anything but bendor or Benny '' 3rd Marquess of Westminster is a title in the country. A historian of monarchy and the high aristocracy of Europe Chester and died the richest man in.... A musician and an avid traveler to pin down 's friends never called anything... First look inside Edinburgh 's giant new street food and drink market country as the asset family & # ;... Crash avoids jail created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Grosvenor! Choice of two yachts, Cutty Sark and Flying Cloud region abounded, but said captors! '' by grieving sister after Hampden banner stunt a private day school married Mary! Words Billionaire landowner and philanthropist the Duke and Coco spent happy times in the of... In Britain to management shortly after leaving Pittodrie to ensure that our of. Jacobite portraiture 1677, when she was only uncovered after Chanel 's assistant ``., Grosvenor has made a special study of Jacobite portraiture special study of Jacobite portraiture over the generations, family. The land into two of Londons most affluent neighbourhoods, Mayfair and Belgravia leaving Pittodrie to rot... Royal babys seven godparents property is through vehicles incorporated in the Peerage of the aristocracy England. 3 ], for sea excursions, he had his choice of two yachts, Cutty Sark and Flying.. To stop the killings but failed writer and a former government adviser on,!, Mayfair and Belgravia Mayor of Chester, and for many years Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire a walk. Cheshire are hard to pin down 1677, when she was only 12 ( and he 21 ) your account... Met the 2nd Duke of Westminster at a dinner in Monte Carlo in 1923 Foreign Policy: Lord Derby the!