Family and Education

b. 27 Jan. 1795, 1st s. of Robert Grosvenor*, 2nd Earl Grosvenor, by Hon. Eleanora Egerton, da. and h. of Thomas Egerton^†, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton (afterwards 1st Earl of Wilton). educ. Westminster 1806-12; Christ Church, Oxf. 1812; European tour 1815-17. m. 16 Sept. 1819, Lady Elizabeth Mary Leveson Gower, da. of George Granville Leveson Gower I*, 2nd Mq. of Stafford, 4s. 9da. Styled Earl Grosvenor 1831-45; suc. fa. as 2nd Mq. of Westminster 17 Feb. 1845; KG 6 July 1857.

Offices Held

Ld. steward of Household Mar. 1850-Feb. 1852; PC 22 Mar. 1852.

Ld. lt. Cheshire 1845-68.

Capt. R. Flints. militia 1818; maj. commdt. Flints. yeomanry 1831.

Biography

Belgrave, heir to the immense family wealth, topped the poll at Chester in 1818 when his father successfully fought back against the independent party who had wrested one seat from his control in 1807. On 31 Oct. 1818 he fought a duel with the beaten candidate, (Sir) John Grey Egerton*, to settle a quarrel arising out of the recent Chester mayoral election.1 His father was now acting with the Whigs in politics and his few recorded votes in the 1818 Parliament were all with opposition: on Bank restriction, 2 Feb., the Windsor establishment, 25 Feb., the salt duties, 29 Apr., the foreign enlistment bill, 3, 10 and 21 June, and the state of the national finances, 7 and 8 June. During the emergency session of late 1819 he was probably otherwise engaged after his marriage into one of the few families which could match his own in wealth, and he is not known to have spoken in the House before 1820.

A man of ‘reserved habits and inexpensive tastes’, who gave generously to charity, he died 31 Oct. 1869.2

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: David R. Fisher

Notes

• 1. Edinburgh Advertiser, 3 Nov. 1818.
• 2. The Times, 2 Nov. 1869.