8th Marquess of Downshire (1929-2003)

[Michael Rhodes]

The 8th Marquess of Downshire, Yorkshire landowner & farmer, whose
home for three decades was Clifton Castle, near Ripon, died 18
December, 2003. He was aged 74.

The Marquess (Peerage of Ireland 1789), was also Viscount
Hillsborough, Baron Hill 1717, Earl of Hillsborough, Viscount
Kilwarlin 1751; Baron Harwich (GB) 1756; Earl of Hillsborough and
Viscount Fairford (GB) 1772; Hereditary Constable of Hillsborough
Fort.

The first Marquess was Comptroller of the Hosuehold to King George II,
Joint Postmaster-General, Secretary of State for the Colonies 1768-72
and 1779-82, and Registrar of the High Court of Chancery in Ireland.

He was born Arthur Robin Ian Hill, 10 May, 1929, son of Lord Arthur
Francis Henry Hill (who died in 1953, younger son of the 6th Marquess)
by his wife Sheila, daughter of Colonel Stewart MacDougall of Lunga.

He married firstly, in 1957, the Hon Juliet Mary Weld-Forester,
daughter of the 7th Lord Forester, by whom he had two sons and one
daughter. His first wife died in 1986. He married secondly, 1989, Mrs
Diana Marion Hibbert Taylor, daughter of the Rt Hon Sir Ronald Hibbert
Cross, 1st Baronet, KCMG, KCVO. The Marchioness died in 1998. He
married thirdly, 2002/3, Mrs Tessa Helen Murray Fane, [b. 28 January,
1940], widow of the late Mr Vere John Alexander Fane, scion of the
Earls of Westmorland, and only daughter of John Murray Prain, DSO,
OBE, DL, [1902-1985] of Longrigg, St Andrews, Fife, by his wife Lorina
Helen Elspeth Skene.

The peerages now devolve upon his Lordship's elder son, Arthur Francis
Nicholas Wills Hill, styled Earl of Hillsborough, born 4 February,
1959, who is married with one son and three daughters.

A Service of Thansksgiving will be held at Ripon Cathedral, Thursday
29 January, 2004.

--

Michael Rhodes
(Please remove x to e-mail me)

[jlk7e]

***@yahoo.co.uk (Michael Rhodes) wrote in message news:<***@posting.google.com>...

(snip)

Post by Michael Rhodes
The first Marquess was Comptroller of the Hosuehold to King George II,
Joint Postmaster-General, Secretary of State for the Colonies 1768-72
and 1779-82, and Registrar of the High Court of Chancery in Ireland.

He was Secretary of State for the Southern Department from 1779-1782

[PalaceOfWestminster]

Post by Michael Rhodes
The peerages now devolve upon his Lordship's elder son, Arthur Francis
Nicholas Wills Hill, styled Earl of Hillsborough, born 4 February,
1959, who is married with one son and three daughters.
A Service of Thansksgiving will be held at Ripon Cathedral, Thursday
29 January, 2004.

Nice to see the succession well provided for!

[Heraldic Media Limited]

Post by Michael Rhodes
The 8th Marquess of Downshire, Yorkshire landowner & farmer, whose
home for three decades was Clifton Castle, near Ripon, died 18
December, 2003. He was aged 74.
The Marquess (Peerage of Ireland 1789), was also Viscount
Hillsborough, Baron Hill 1717, Earl of Hillsborough, Viscount
Kilwarlin 1751; Baron Harwich (GB) 1756; Earl of Hillsborough and
Viscount Fairford (GB) 1772; Hereditary Constable of Hillsborough
Fort.
The first Marquess was Comptroller of the Hosuehold to King George II,
Joint Postmaster-General, Secretary of State for the Colonies 1768-72
and 1779-82, and Registrar of the High Court of Chancery in Ireland.
He was born Arthur Robin Ian Hill, 10 May, 1929, son of Lord Arthur
Francis Henry Hill (who died in 1953, younger son of the 6th Marquess)
by his wife Sheila, daughter of Colonel Stewart MacDougall of Lunga.
He married firstly, in 1957, the Hon Juliet Mary Weld-Forester,
daughter of the 7th Lord Forester, by whom he had two sons and one
daughter. His first wife died in 1986. He married secondly, 1989, Mrs
Diana Marion Hibbert Taylor, daughter of the Rt Hon Sir Ronald Hibbert
Cross, 1st Baronet, KCMG, KCVO. The Marchioness died in 1998. He
married thirdly, 2002/3, Mrs Tessa Helen Murray Fane, [b. 28 January,
1940], widow of the late Mr Vere John Alexander Fane, scion of the
Earls of Westmorland, and only daughter of John Murray Prain, DSO,
OBE, DL, [1902-1985] of Longrigg, St Andrews, Fife, by his wife Lorina
Helen Elspeth Skene.
The peerages now devolve upon his Lordship's elder son, Arthur Francis
Nicholas Wills Hill, styled Earl of Hillsborough, born 4 February,
1959, who is married with one son and three daughters.
A Service of Thansksgiving will be held at Ripon Cathedral, Thursday
29 January, 2004.

This is very sad news. I knew Robin Hill, as he then was, when I was
living and working in Bedale. He had a glorious sense of humour and
was a very generous host at Clifton Castle. He will be sorely missed.


Patrick Cracroft-Brennan FCA HonFHS
Director - Heraldic Media Limited
Publishers of "Cracroft's Peerage"
The complete guide to the British Peerage
http://www.heraldicmedia.com

[Michael Rhodes]

Post by Heraldic Media Limited
This is very sad news. I knew Robin Hill, as he then was, when I was
living and working in Bedale. He had a glorious sense of humour and
was a very generous host at Clifton Castle. He will be sorely missed.

His first wife, if I recall correctly, was a very great beauty.

[Michael Rhodes]

<<Memorial service>>

<<The 8th Marquess of Downshire>>

HRH The Duke of Kent was represented by Lieutenant-General Sir Norman
Arthur at a service of thanksgiving for the life of the Marquess of
Downshire, chartered accountant and Hereditary Constable of
Hillsborough Fort, held 29 January, 2004, at Ripon Cathedral,
Yorkshire.

Canon Michael Glanville-Smith, Canon-in-Residence, officiated,
assisted by the Very Rev John Dinnen, Dean of Down, the Rev Andrew
Woodhouse, priest in charge of Thornton Watlass, and Canon John Barry.

The 9th Marquess of Downshire, son, read the lesson, Lady Georgina
Anderson, daughter, read _I thank Thee God, that I have lived_ by
Elizabeth Craven, and Lady Isabella Hill, grand-daughter, read _What
is dying?_ by Bishop Brent.

Mr John Wilbraham paid tribute.

Ms Lynne Dawson, soprano, sang _Zeffiretti lusingieri_ from _Idomeneo_
by Mozart. The cathedral choir, conducted by Mr Andrew Bryden, and the
Aysgarth school choir also sang _O Perfect Love_, by Lady Arthur Hill
and _The Heavens are Telling_ by Haydn.

_Last Post_ was sounded by the bugler of The Hillsborough Guard (the
private army of Lord Downshire in his post as Hereditary Constable of
Hillsborough Fort. The first I've heard of this _army_. I thought that
only the Duke of Atholl had a _private army_).

The bagpipes were played by bandsmen of The Royal Scots Dragoon
Guards.

Lord Crathorne, Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, attended.

Among those present were:

Tessa Marchioness of Downshire (widow), Lord and Lady Anthony Hill
(son and daughter-in-law), the Marchioness of Downshire
(daughter-in-law), Mr Sam Anderson (son-in-law), Lady Beatrice Hill,
the Earl of Hillsborough, Lady Claudia Hill, Marcus Hill, Orlando Hill
and Megan Anderson (grand-children), Lady Rosie Kindersley (sister),
Dr Alan and Lady Caroline Borg (brother-in-law and sister), the Hon
Mrs Philip Miles (sister-in-law), Mr and Mrs James Landale (step
son-in-law and step daughter), Mr and Mrs Philip Prain.

Sir David and Lady Landale, Mr and Mrs William Clark Maxwell, Mr Colin
Lindsay MacDougall, Mrs Matthew Carse, Mr Aiden Lindsay MacDougall,
Dame Jean Maxwell Scott, Mr Ian and Lady Deirdre Curteis,
Major-General William Rollo, Lord and Lady Bolton, Lord and Lady
Forester, Sir Brian and Hon Lady Barttelot, Lord Biddulph, Mary Lady
Biddulph, the Hon George Weld-Forester, the Hon Mrs Ian Graham, the
Hon Sasha Weld-Forester, Mr and Mrs Khalil Cham Cham, the Hon Dickon
and Mrs Kindersley.

The Duke of Fife, the Earl of Gainsborough, the Earl and Countess of
Swinton, Earl Peel (also representing the Association of Conservative
Peers in the House of Lords) and Countess Peel, Lord Mark Fitzalan
Howard, Viscount Mountgarret, Susan Viscountess Mountgarret, Lady
Crathorne, Lord and Lady Clinton, the Hon David and Lady Katherine
Nall-Cain, Sir Michael and Lady Angela Oswald, Mr and Mrs David
Aykroyd, Mr John Waddington, Mr and Mrs David Yorke, Mr and Mrs
Richard Compton, Mr and Mrs Edward Hohler, Mr and Mrs Nigel Graham, Mr
and Mrs James Fife, Mr and Mrs Anthony Chisenhale Marsh, Mr and Mrs
Gerald Bunting, Mr and Mrs Nigel Bunting, Mr Mark Bunting, Mr and Mrs
Mark Anderson, Mrs Jean Anderson, Miss Polly Anderson, Mr and Mrs
James Nall-Cain, Mr and Mrs Gerald Hohler, Mr and Mrs Robin Compton,
Colonel and Mrs Richard Abel-Smith, Mr and Mrs John Hills, Mr Robert
Frewen and Mrs John Wilbraham with many other friends.



--

Michael Rhodes
(Please delete x to e-mail me)

[jlk7e]

Post by Michael Rhodes
<<Memorial service>>
<<The 8th Marquess of Downshire>>
HRH The Duke of Kent was represented by Lieutenant-General Sir Norman
Arthur at a service of thanksgiving for the life of the Marquess of
Downshire, chartered accountant and Hereditary Constable of
Hillsborough Fort,

What a wonderful juxtaposition. How many chartered accountants are
also hereditary constables, would one think?

[Michael Rhodes]

Post by jlk7e

Post by Michael Rhodes
<<Memorial service>>
<<The 8th Marquess of Downshire>>
HRH The Duke of Kent was represented by Lieutenant-General Sir Norman
Arthur at a service of thanksgiving for the life of the Marquess of
Downshire, chartered accountant and Hereditary Constable of
Hillsborough Fort,

What a wonderful juxtaposition. How many chartered accountants are
also hereditary constables, would one think?

And a chartered accountant with his own private army!

[Michael Rhodes]

The Daily Telegraph obit. of the Marquess of Downshire, Feb 25, 2004:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&targetRule=10&xml=%2Fnews%2F2004%2F02%2F25%2Fdb2502.xml

The article confirms he married for the third time in 2002.

-- Michael (please delete x to e-mail me]

[Michael Rhodes]

Tessa, Dowager Marchioness of Downshire, widow of the 8th Marquess, has died aged 83.

https://peeragenews.blogspot.com/2023/06/tessa-marchioness-of-downshire-1940-2023.html