Hugh Seymour, 6th Marquess of Hertford

Captain Hugh de Grey Seymour, 6th Marquess of Hertford CB PC TD JP (22 October 1843 – 23 March 1912), styled Earl of Yarmouth from 1870 to 1884, was a British soldier, courtier and Conservative politician. He notably served as Comptroller of the Household between 1879 and 1880.

The Marquess of Hertford
CB, TD, PC, JP
The Marquess of Hertford wearing Masonic regalia.
Comptroller of the Household
In office
21 February 1879 – 21 April 1880
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterThe Earl of Beaconsfield
Preceded byLord Henry Somerset
Succeeded byThe Lord Kensington
Personal details
Born(1843-10-22)22 October 1843
Dublin, Ireland
Died23 March 1912 (1912-03-24) (aged 68)
Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, England
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
Spouse
(1868⁠–⁠1909)
Parents

Background

edit
 
Ragley Hall from the south-west.

A member of the Seymour family headed by the Duke of Somerset, Seymour was born in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest son of Francis Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford, by his wife Lady Emily Murray, daughter of David Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield. He was the grandson of Sir George Seymour and great-grandson of Lord Hugh Seymour and the nephew of George Seymour and Lady Laura Seymour. He became known by the courtesy title Earl of Yarmouth when his father succeeded to the marquessate of Hertford in 1870.[1]

Military career

edit

Seymour served in the Grenadier Guards, achieving the rank of captain. He was also Honorary Colonel of the Warwickshire Yeomanry and was awarded the Territorial Decoration. He was appointed an aide-de-camp to King Edward VII in the 1902 Coronation Honours list on 26 June 1902,[2] with the regular rank of colonel.[3] He served as such until the King's death in 1910, and was re-appointed ADC to King George V from 1910 until his own death in 1912.

Political career

edit

Seymour was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Antrim in 1869.[1][4] At the 1874 general election he was returned for South Warwickshire, a seat he held until 1880.[1][5] In 1879 he was sworn of the Privy Council[6] and appointed Comptroller of the Household under Lord Beaconsfield,[7] a post he retained until the government fell the following year.[8] In 1884 he succeeded his father in the marquessate and entered the House of Lords.[1]

In 1905 Lord Hertford was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, which he remained until his death. He was also a Justice of the Peace for County Antrim. In 1906 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[1]

Family

edit

Lord Hertford married the Honourable Mary Hood, daughter of Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport, on 16 April 1868. They had eight children:

  • Lady Margaret Alice Seymour (1869–1901), married shipowner James Hainsworth Ismay and had issue
  • George Francis Alexander Seymour, 7th Marquess of Hertford (1871–1940)
  • Lady Emily Mary Seymour (1873–1948), married Reverend Reginald Walker and had issue
  • Lady Victoria Frederica Wilhelmina Georgina Seymour (1874–1960), married Charles Trafford and had issue
  • Lady Jane Edith Seymour (1877–?), married Major Hugh Carleton
  • Brigadier-General Lord Henry Charles Seymour (1878–1939), married Lady Helen Grosvenor, a daughter of the 1st Duke of Westminster and had issue, including Hugh Seymour, 8th Marquess of Hertford, and Lady Margaret Hay
  • Lord Edward Beauchamp Seymour (1879–1917), married Elfrida de Trafford
  • Commander Lord George Frederick Seymour (1881–1940), married Norah Skipworth and had issue

The Marchioness of Hertford died in April 1909, aged 62, while on a voyage to Palestine. Lord Hertford died at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, in March 1912, aged 68. He was succeeded in the marquessate by his eldest son, George.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f thepeerage.com Hugh de Grey Seymour, 6th Marquess of Hertford
  2. ^ "No. 27448". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 July 1902. p. 4190.
  3. ^ "No. 27454". The London Gazette. 15 July 1902. p. 4513.
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)
  6. ^ "No. 24684". The London Gazette. 25 February 1879. p. 931.
  7. ^ "No. 24675". The London Gazette. 7 February 1879. p. 601.
  8. ^ "No. 24841". The London Gazette. 4 May 1880. p. 2864.
edit
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Antrim
1869–1874
With: Hon. Edward O'Neill
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for South Warwickshire
1874–1880
With: Sir John Eadley-Wilmot, Bt
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Comptroller of the Household
1879–1880
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
1905–1912
Succeeded by
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Marquess of Hertford
1884–1912
Succeeded by