Wikipedia

John Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn

Sir John Michael Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn, 4th Baronet (born 12 August 1938), is a Welsh racing driver, landowner, and businessman. He is the son of Brigadier Sir Charles Michael Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn, previous Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire,[a] and Lady Delia Mary Hicks-Beach, daughter of the Viscount Quenington. Llewelyn was educated at Eton College and Cambridge University, and is a direct descendant of the politician, Michael Hicks-Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn, via his maternal line.[1]

Sir
John Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn
Bt
Born12 August 1938
Title4th Baronet Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn of Penllergaer and Ynis-y-gerwn
ChildrenGeorgina Katherine Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn (b. 1964) Emma Susan Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn (b. 1967)
Parents
  • Sir Charles Michael Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn, 3rd Baronet (father)
  • Lady Delia Mary Beach-Hicks (mother)
RelativesMichael Hicks Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn (great-grandfather)

Business

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Between 1998 and 2000, he was managing director of Llandovery College ARTS Centre. At present, he is the appointed director of four companies, including Parc Mawr Investments and Penllergaer Estates; both positions once held by his mother.[2][3] In 2019, the Wales Online listed Llewelyn as one of the most influential people in Swansea, and estimated Penllergaer Estates to be worth around £24,000,000.[4]

Llewelyn, known professionally as Sir John Venables-Llewelyn,[5] is the co-owner of Bryn-y-rhyd farm, in Llanedi,[6] which was subject to controversy in 2021, when planning permission was granted to build a solar farm on the land, with some to likening the plans to the 1965 flooding of the Tryweryn valley.[7]

Cars

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In 1970, Llewelyn partnered with Major Charles Lambton, to design and build a replica Bentley Tourer, using the remains of a damaged 1948 Bentley MkVI. The "Bentley Special", as they called it, had "completely modern servicing facilities, but a standard engine". In an interview with the Reading Evening Post, the partners stated that they did not want want to sell the car "until enough people had seen it", adding that they "hoped for orders for replicas".[8]

 
A photograph of the Maserati that Llewelyn went on to drive, among other 250Fs taken at the 1957 British Gran Prix at Aintree.

Llewelyn was also friends with racing driver and engineer, Anthony Mayman.[b] In the 1980s, Llewelyn occasionally raced Mayman's 1954 Maserati 250F, a car which Mayman lent to several of his vintage racing friends.[9]

Llewelyn is a trustee of the Bugatti Trust and a member of the Bugatti Owners' Club of Great Britain, of which he was Director from 1992, until his resignation in 2001.[10][2] He was a friend of Fitzroy Somerset, 5th Lord Raglan,[c] and used to race Somerset's Bugatti Type 51 with considerable success, competing in the Monaco Historic Gran Prix on several occasions, consecutively winning the event's "Williams Monaco Trophy" from 1984 to 1986.[5][11][12][13] Llewelyn also competed successfully in the ACU National Championships,[14] driving his own supercharged ERA and 1934 Alfa Romeo P3, winning the 1996 "Bob Gerald Trophy" in the later, at Mallory Park.[12][15][16][17][18]

Baronetcy and estate

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Main article: Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn baronets

The Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn baronetcy was created in 1890 for John Dillwyn-Llewelyn, who was Conservative MP for Swansea. On his death, the baronetcy passed to his son, Charles, who assumed the additional surname "Venables" following his marriage to the daughter of the Rev. Richard Venables, inheriting Llysdinam Hall in the process. On his death, the title and estate passed to his son, Michael, father of John.

Sir John Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father, on 15 March 1976, thus becoming the 4th Baronet. There is no heir to the baronetcy.

Llewelyn lives at the ancestral home of the Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn baronets, Llysdinam Hall, in Llandrindod Wells.[d][2][19] Llysdinam Gardens, part of the Llewelyn estates, features a weather station, and is part of the Met Office's climate network. In 2019, the Gardens received an award from the World Meteorlogical Organisation, recognising the Llewelyn's contributions in recording weather since 1880s.[20]

Marriages

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Llewelyn has married three times.[1][19]

Firstly to Nina Hallam, (m. 1963; div. 1972), with whom he had two children:

  • Georgina Katherine Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn (b. 1964)
  • Emma Susan Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn (b. 1967)

Secondly to Nina Oliver (m. 1975; div. 1995), with whom he had a daughter, who died in infancy.

Thirdly to Carolyn Lockheart (m. 2005).

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Sir Charles Michael Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn was Lord Lieutenant of Randorshire from 1949 until 1974.
  2. ^ Anthony Mayman died on 3 February 1993
  3. ^ Fitzroy Somerset, 5th Lord Raglan, died on 24 January 2010
  4. ^ In 2001, Cadw recognised Llysdinam Hall as a Grade-II listed building

References

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  1. ^ a b Mosley, Charles (2003). Burke's Peerage: Baronetcy and Knighthood (107th ed.). Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A: Burke's Peerage Ltd. p. 1171. ISBN 9780971196629.
  2. ^ a b c "John Michael Dillwyn VENABLES-LLEWELYN personal appointments – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  3. ^ "Delia Mary DILLWYN-VENABLES-LLEWELYN personal appointments – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  4. ^ Williams, Nino (20 January 2019). "The most influential people in Swansea right now – Wales Online". www.walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  5. ^ a b SHED RACING (2024-05-10). Bugatti Nostalgia: Historic Racing Monaco 1984. Retrieved 2024-06-18 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Search for land and property information". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  7. ^ "A solar farm scheme in Carmarthenshire has been compared to the flooding of Tryweryn – Wales Online". www.walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  8. ^ "Build-Up For a Bentley". Reading Evening Post. 7 October 1970. p. 4. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  9. ^ Fiskens. "FISKENS | Fine Historic Automobiles". www.fiskens.com. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  10. ^ "Contact". The Bugatti Trust. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  11. ^ "Welsh lord who was bitten by the Bugatti bug – Wales Online". www.walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  12. ^ a b "The Williams Monaco Trophy 10-Lap Scratch Race". Market Rasen Mail. 23 August 1986. p. 6. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Bank Holiday Motorsport". Horncastle News. 27 August 1988. p. 21. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Vintage Attractions". Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. 25 August 1990. p. 23. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Grand Old Racers Will Roll Back Years At Donington". Staffordshire Sentinel. 25 May 1990. p. 50. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Hill Is The Overall Winner". Long Eaton Advertiser. 12 June 1980. p. 20. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Historic Cars Battle It Out This Weekend". Formby Times. 12 June 1974. p. 23. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  18. ^ Swain, Graham (2 July 1996). "Trophy Joy For Sir John At Mallory". Leicester Daily Mercury. p. 37. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Venables-Llewelyn, Sir John (Michael) Dillwyn-, (born 12 Aug. 1938), farmer, since 1975". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U41047. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  20. ^ "Plaque Marks Weather Station's Enduring Role". Brecon and Radnor Reporter. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir Michael Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn
 Baronet
(of Penllergare and Ynis-y-gerwn)
1976–present 		Incumbent
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