George William Reginald Victor Coventry, 10th Earl of Coventry (10 September 1900 - 27 May 1940)[1] was the son of George William Coventry, Viscount Deerhurst and Virginia Bonynge (born Daniels), step- and adopted daughter of Charles Bonynge.[2] As his father predeceased his grandfather, the 10th Earl was his grandfather's heir to the earldom. George Coventry inherited both the earldom and the viscountcy on 13 March 1930.[1] He was educated at Ludgrove School and Eton College.[3]
The Earl of Coventry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 13 March 1930 – 27 May 1940 Hereditary Peerage | |
| Preceded by | 9th Earl of Coventry |
| Succeeded by | 11th Earl of Coventry |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 September 1900 |
| Died | 27 May 1940 (aged 39) |
Politics
editStanding as a Unionist, Coventry unsuccessfully stood in the Carmarthen Constituency in the 1922 General Election.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Liberal | John Hinds | 12,530 | 41.9 | N/A | |
| Unionist | George Coventry | 8,805 | 29.4 | N/A | |
| National Farmers' Union | Daniel Johns | 4,775 | 15.9 | N/A | |
| Liberal | H. Llewelyn-Williams | 3,847 | 12.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 3,725 | 12.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 29,957 | 82.7 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 36,213 | ||||
| National Liberal gain from Liberal | |||||
Military service
editCoventry was a Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, which was part of the original Expeditionary Force sent to France in September 1939.[4] His regiment was subsequently evacuated during the retreat from Dunkirk; Coventry was killed in action [5] 27 May 1940 at La Bassée, during the Battle of Dunkirk which preceded it. He is buried in the communal cemetery at Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée.[6]
A memorial service was held at Croome Church in Worcester on 21 July 1940.[7]
Family and personal life
editHe married the Honourable Nesta Donne Philipps in September 1921; they had four children.[1] His youngest child, also named George William Coventry and subsequently 11th Earl of Coventry was born at Croome Court on 25 January 1934.[8] The 10th earl's daughters were Anne Donne, Joan Blanche, and Maria Alice Coventry.[2]
In 1932, he was appointed the Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Worcestershire.[9]
He served as a company director of the London and Thames Haven Oil Wharves Limited.[10]
Coventry enjoyed hunting and was the Master of the Carmarthenshire Hounds, the Hawkstone Hounds as well as the Croome Hounds.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Hammond, P.W., ed., The Complete Peerage or a History of the House of Lords and All its Members From the Earliest Times, Vol. XIV (Stroud, 1998), 212.
- ^ a b "Person Page".
- ^ a b c "Deaths". The Times. No. 48669. 16 July 1940.
- ^ "Worcestershire Regiment - Famous Units - Research - National Army Museum, London".
- ^ "Lieut. Earl George William Reginal Victor COVENTRY (7903) - Worcestershire Regiment".
- ^ "Lieut. Earl George William Reginal Victor COVENTRY (7903) - Worcestershire Regiment".
- ^ "Deaths". The Times. No. 48675. 23 July 1940.
- ^ "The Earl of Coventry".
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 46262. 12 October 1932.
- ^ "London & Thames Haven Oil Wharves". The Times. No. 46401.
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