Marquess Townshend

Marquess Townshend /ˈtaʊnzənd/ is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. The title was created in 1787 for George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend.

Marquessate of Townshend
Arms: Azure, a chevron ermine between three escallops argent. Crest: A Stag statant proper, attired and unguled Or. Supporters: Dexter: a Stag statant proper attired and unguled Or; Sinister: A greyhound Argent.
Creation date	31 October 1787
Created by	George III
Peerage	Peerage of Great Britain
First holder	George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend
Present holder	Charles Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend
Heir apparent	Thomas Townshend, Viscount Raynham
Remainder to	The 1st Marquess' heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Townshend, of Raynham Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis Baronet 'of Raynham'
Seat(s)	Raynham Hall
Motto	Haec Generi Incrementa Fides (Faith obtained these honours for our race)

History

The Townshend family descends from Roger Townshend, who in 1617 was created a baronet, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk, in the Baronetage of England. He later represented Orford and Norfolk in the House of Commons. His younger son, the third Baronet (who succeeded his elder brother), played an important role in the restoration of the monarchy after the Civil War and was also Member of Parliament for Norfolk. In 1661 he was created Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk, and in 1682 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk. Both titles were in the Peerage of England.

He was succeeded by his son, the second Viscount. He was a prominent statesman and served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1714 to 1716 and from 1721 to 1730. Lord Townshend is also remembered for the agricultural reforms he undertook at his Norfolk estate and gained the nickname "Turnip Townshend". His eldest son, the third Viscount, briefly represented Great Yarmouth in the House of Commons. However, in 1723, during his father's lifetime, he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Townshend (although he was styled "Lord Lynn", taken from the territorial designation of the barony, to distinguish him from his father). Lord Townshend later served as Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, the fourth Viscount. He was a Field Marshal in the Army and served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and as Master-General of the Ordnance. In 1787 he was created Marquess Townshend in the Peerage of Great Britain. Lord Townshend married as his first wife Charlotte Compton, 16th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley and 7th Baroness Compton. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Marquess. He had already on his mother's death in 1770 succeeded in the baronies Ferrers of Chartley and Compton. In 1784, 23 years before he succeeded his father, he was created Earl of Leicester in the Peerage of Great Britain. His choice of title derived from his descent from Lady Lucy Sydney, daughter of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (a title which had become extinct in 1743). Lord Townshend later held office as Master of the Mint, as Joint Postmaster General and as Lord Steward of the Household.

His son, the third Marquess, was childless. On his death in 1855 the earldom of Leicester became extinct while the baronies of Ferrers of Chartley and Compton fell into abeyance. He was succeeded in the other titles by his first cousin, the fourth Marquess. He was the son of Lord John Townshend, second son of the first Marquess. Lord Townshend was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy and also sat as Member of Parliament for Tamworth. His son, the fifth Marquess, also represented Tamworth in Parliament (as a Liberal). As of 2013 the titles are held by the latter's great-grandson, the eighth Marquess, who succeeded his father in April 2010.

Several other members of the Townshend family have also gained distinction. Charles Townshend, second son of the third Viscount, was a prominent statesman and orator and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1766 to 1767. The politician Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, after whom the town of Sydney, Australia, was named, was the son of the Hon. Thomas Townshend, second son of the second Viscount. Sydney's grandson was the Liberal politician John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney. Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning, was the son of the Hon. William Townshend, third son of the second Viscount. See also Roger Townshend, Admiral George Townshend, Lord Charles Townshend, Lord John Townshend, Lord Charles Townshend, Lord James Townshend, Charles Fox Townshend and Major-General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend.

As Lord Townshend holds no titles with names different from his main title, the territorial designation from his viscountcy is used for his heir, who is styled Viscount Raynham. Between 1807 and 1855 the courtesy title was Earl of Leicester (although the title was not used from 1811 to 1855 as there was no a real heir apparent to the marquessate during this period, but earldom "usurped" by John Dunn-Gardner in 1823–1843), while from 1782 to 1855 the courtesy title used by the heir apparent to the earldom of Leicester was Lord Ferrers of Chartley (and consequently was not used from 1811 to 1855 as there was no a real heir apparent either to the earldom or marquessate).

The current Marquess holds the subsidiary titles: Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk (created 1682); Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk (created 1661); Townshend Baronet, 'of Raynham in the County of Norfolk' (created 1617), all of which in the Peerage of England. As noted above, due to being of the same name as the primary title, the Viscountcy has been called "Viscount Raynham" and the Barony "Baron Lynn".

The family seat is Raynham Hall, Fakenham, Norfolk.

Townshend baronets, of Raynham (1617)

• Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet (1596–1637)
• Sir Roger Townshend, 2nd Baronet (1628–1648)
• Sir Horatio Townshend, 3rd Baronet (1630–1687) (created Baron Townshend in 1661 and Viscount Townshend in 1682)

Viscounts Townshend (1682)

Arms of the Viscounts Townshend

• Horatio Townshend, 1st Viscount Townshend (1630–1687)
• Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend (1674–1738)
• Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend (1700–1764)
• George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend (1724–1807) (created Marquess Townshend in 1787)

Marquesses Townshend (1787)

• George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1724–1807)
• George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend, 1st Earl of Leicester (1753–1811)
• George Ferrars Townshend, 3rd Marquess Townshend, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1778–1855)
• John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend (1798–1863)
• John Villiers Stuart Townshend, 5th Marquess Townshend (1831–1899)
• John James Dudley Stuart Townshend, 6th Marquess Townshend (1866–1921)
• George John Patrick Dominic Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend (1916–2010)
• Charles George Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend (b. 1945)

Family tree

Marquesses Townshend, Earls of Romney, and Baronets of Cuckston

Shirley Baronet of Staunton Harold in the County of Leicester, 1611 George Shirley 1559–1622 1st Baronet Baronet of Cuckston, 1663 Henry Shirley 1589–1633 2nd Baronet Robert Sidney 1595–1677 Earl of Leicester John Marsham 1602–1685 1st Baronet of Cuckston Earl of Romney (1st creation), 1694 Charles Shirley (1623–1646) 3rd Baronet Robert Shirley 1629–1656 4th Baronet Lady Lucy Sidney 1630–1685 Henry Sydney 1641–1704 1st Earl of Romney John Marsham 1637–1692 2nd Baronet of Cuckston Earldom extinct, 1704 Baron Ferrers of Chartley abeyance terminated, 1677 Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk, 1661 Viscount Townshend of Raynham in the County of Norfolk, 1682 Seymour Shirley 1647–1667 5th Baronet Robert Shirley 1650–1717 Earl Ferrers, 14th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 7th Shirley Baronet, of Staunton Harold Thomas Pelham 1653–1712 Horatio Townshend 1630–1687 1st Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend John Marsham 1679–1696 3rd Baronet of Cuckston Robert Shirley 1668–1669 6th Baronet Robert Shirley 1673–1699 Elizabeth Pelham 1681–1711 Charles Townshend 1674–1738 2nd Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Robert Marsham 1650–1703 4th Baronet of Cuckston Baron Romney, 1716 Elizabeth Compton 1694–1741 15th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley Charles Townshend 1700–1764 3rd Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Thomas Townshend 1701–1780 Robert Marsham 1685–1724 1st Baron Romney, 5th Baronet of Cuckston Baron Ferrers of Chartley resolved, 1749 Marquess Townshend, 1787 Baron Sydney of Chiselhurst in the County of Kent, 1783 Viscount Sydney (2nd creation) of St Leonards, 1789 Charlotte Townshend d. 1770 16th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley, Baroness Compton George Townshend 1724–1807 1st Marquess Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Thomas Townshend 1733–1800 1st Viscount Sydney Robert Marsham 1712–1794 2nd Baron Romney Earl of Leicester (6th creation), 1784 Earl of Romney (2nd creation) and Viscount Marsham of The Mote in the County of Kent, 1801 George Townshend 1753–1811 2nd Marquess Townshend, 1st Earl of Leicester, 5th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend, 17th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Baron Compton John Townshend 1757–1783 John Townshend 1764–1831 2nd Viscount Sydney Charles Marsham 1744–1811 1st Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 3rd Baron Romney George Townshend 1778–1885 3rd Marquess Townshend, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 6th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend, 18th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Baron Compton John Townshend 1798–1863 4th Marquess Townshend, 7th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Mary Elizabeth Marsham 1794–1847 Charles Marsham 1777–1845 2nd Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 4th Baron Romney Barony Ferrers of Chartley and Barony Compton in abeyance and Earldom of Leicester (6th creation) extinct, 1885 Earl Sydney of Scadbury in the County of Kent, 1874 John Townshend 1805–1890 1st Earl Sydney, 3rd Viscount Sydney Charles Marsham 1808–1874 3nd Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 5th Baron Romney Earldom of Sydney extinct, 1890 John Villiers Stuart Townshend 1831–1899 5th Marquess Townshend, 8th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Charles Marsham 1841–1905 4th Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 6th Baron Romney John James Dudley Stuart Townshend 1866–1921 6th Marquess Townshend, 9th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Charles Marsham 1864–1933 5th Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 7th Baron Romney Reginald Hastings Marsham 1865–1922 Sydney Edward Marsham 1879–1952 George John Patrick Dominic Townshend 1916–2010 7th Marquess Townshend, 10th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Charles Marsham 1892–1975 6th Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 8th Baron Romney Michael Marsham 1910–2004 7th Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 9th Baron Romney Peter William Marsham 1913–1970 Charles George Townshend b. 1945 8th Marquess Townshend, 11th Viscount Townshend and Baron Townshend Julian Marsham b. 1948 8th Earl of Romney and Viscount Marsham, 9th Baron Romney Thomas Charles Townshend b. 1977 styled Viscount Raynham David Charles Marsham b. 1977 styled Viscount Marsham Heir apparent to the Marquess of Townshend Heir apparent to the Earl of Romney Rafe Thomas Townshend b. 2014 James Julian Marsham b. 2014

Present peer

Charles George Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend (born 26 September 1945) is the son of the 7th Marquess and his wife Elizabeth Pamela Audrey Luby. He was styled as Viscount Raynham from birth and was educated at Eton College.

On 23 April 2010 he succeeded as Marquess Townshend (G.B., 1787), Viscount Townshend of Raynham (E., 1682), and Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis (E., 1682), and also became the 13th Townshend baronet, of Rainham, Norfolk (1617).

On 9 October 1975, he married firstly Hermione Ponsonby, daughter of Lt.-Commander Robert Martin Dominic Ponsonby RN and Dorothy Edith Jane Lane. In 1990 he married, secondly Alison Combs, daughter of Sir Willis Ide Combs. With his first wife he has two children:

• Thomas Charles Townshend, Viscount Raynham (born 1977)
• Lady Louise Elizabeth Townshend (born 1979)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, whose heir apparent is his son Rafe Thomas Townshend (born 2014).

Line of succession

George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1724–1807) George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend (1755-1811) George Ferrers Townshend, 3rd Marquess Townshend (1778-1855) Lord John Townshend (1757–1833) John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend (1798–1863) John Townshend, 5th Marquess Townshend (1831–1899) John Townshend, 6th Marquess Townshend (1866–1921) George Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend (1916–2010) Charles Townshend, 8th Marquess Townshend (b. 1945) (1). Thomas Townshend, Viscount Raynham (b. 1977) (2). Hon. Rafe Thomas Townshend (b. 2014) (3). Lord John Patrick Townshend (b. 1962) (4). George Townshend (b. 2003) Rev. Lord George Osborne Townshend (1801–1876) George Ferrars Townshend (1854–1942) Ferrars Ernest Osborne Townshend (1882–1953) Henry George Townshend (1911–1979) Ferrars Edwin Townshend (1944–2017) male issue in remainder Ernest Edwin Townshend (1858–1945) Clifford Edwin Townshend (1884–1958) John Edwin Townshend (1918–1990) male issue in remainder George Maling Townshend (1921–2009) male issue in remainder Charles Roberts Townshend (1926–1987) male issue in remainder

See also

• Earl Sydney
• Baron Bayning
• Baron Compton
• Earl of Leicester (1618 creation)

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages

External links

• Townshend family website
• http://home.worldonline.co.za/~townshend/lordsarms.htm#top