George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Jersey
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Lord Jersey in 1931
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Francis Child-Villiers
February 15, 1910 |
| Died | August 9, 1998 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouses |
Patricia Richards
(m. 1932; div. 1937)Virginia Cherrill
(m. 1937; div. 1946)Bianca Luciana Adriana Mottironi
(m. 1947) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | George Child-Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey Lady Cynthia Needham |
| Relatives | William Child-Villiers, 10th Earl of Jersey (grandson) Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 7th Earl of Minto (grandson) |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
George Francis Child-Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (born February 15, 1910 – died August 9, 1998) was an important English nobleman and banker. He was part of the Villiers family. Lord Jersey is well-known for giving one of his family's grand homes, Osterley Park, to the British nation in the late 1940s.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Francis Child-Villiers was the son of George Child-Villiers, 8th Earl of Jersey. His mother was Lady Cynthia Almina Constance Mary Needham. He had three younger brothers and sisters.
His grandparents were Victor Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, and Margaret Elizabeth. His other grandparents were Francis Needham, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey, and Ellen Constance Baldock.
He went to Eton College, a famous school in England. After that, he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, which is a part of University of Oxford.
Career and Public Service
When his father passed away in December 1923, George became the 9th Earl of Jersey. This meant he inherited a lot of land, nearly 20,000 acres, across England.
He worked as a clerk at a bank called Glyn, Mills & Co. in 1932. Later, he became the chairman of Wallace Brothers Sassoon Bank. This bank was later taken over by Standard Chartered Bank in 1976.
Military Service
Lord Jersey also served in World War II. He reached the rank of Major in the Royal Artillery. This was part of the Territorial Army, which is a volunteer military force.
Managing Family Estates
The 9th Earl was involved in changing his family's main home, Middleton Park in Oxfordshire. He hired a famous architect named Edwin Lutyens for the work.
He tried to give Middleton Park to the National Trust, a group that protects historic places. However, they did not accept it at the time.
Lord Jersey did give Osterley Park to the nation in the late 1940s. He once joked about Osterley Park, saying it needed 12 staff members just to bring him a boiled egg, and the egg was always cold!
Personal Life and Family
Lord Jersey was married three times during his life. His first marriage ended in divorce, as did his second.
His first wife was Patricia Richards. They married on January 12, 1932. They had one daughter together:
- Lady Caroline Child-Villiers (born 1934). She married three times.
After his first divorce, Lord Jersey married American actress Virginia Cherrill. They married on July 30, 1937. Virginia was previously married to actor Cary Grant. Lord Jersey and Virginia divorced in 1946 and did not have any children.
His third and final wife was Bianca Luciana Adriana Mottironi. They married on October 16, 1947. She was from Turin, Italy. They had three children:
- George Henry Child Villiers, Viscount Villiers (1948–1998). He married three times and had children.
- Lady Isabel Bianca Rosa Child-Villiers (born 1950).
- Hon. Charles Victor Child-Villiers (1952–1991). He married once and later divorced. He sadly passed away at age 39.
Lord Jersey moved to Radier Manor in Jersey, an island in the English Channel. He lived there with his third wife until he passed away on August 9, 1998.
Because his eldest son, George, died a few months before him, Lord Jersey was succeeded by his grandson, William. William became the 10th Earl of Jersey. Lord Jersey's wife, Bianca, passed away in 2005.
