William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Craven
DL
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Lord Craven by Sir George Hayter, 1830.
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| Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire | |
| In office 1853–1856 |
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| Preceded by | The Earl of Warwick |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Leigh |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Craven
18 August 1809 |
| Died | 25 August 1866 (aged 57) |
| Spouse |
Lady Emily Grimston
(m. 1835) |
| Children | 9 |
| Parents | William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven Louisa Brunton |
| Residence | Combe Abbey |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
William Craven, the 2nd Earl of Craven, was an important British nobleman. He was born on August 18, 1809, and passed away on August 25, 1866. Before he became an Earl, he was known as Viscount Uffington until 1825. He also held the title of DL.
Early Life and Family
William Craven was born on August 18, 1809. He was the oldest son of William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven. His mother was Louisa Brunton, a famous actress.
William had several brothers and sisters. His brother, George Augustus Craven, was an Army Officer. Another brother, Frederick Keppel Craven, was a well-known cricket player. His sister, Lady Louisa Elizabeth Craven, was married twice. Her second husband, Alexander Oswald, was a Member of Parliament.
His grandparents on his father's side were William Craven, 6th Baron Craven, and Lady Elizabeth Berkeley. Lady Elizabeth was the daughter of Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley. On his mother's side, his grandfather was John Brunton, who started as a grocer and later became an actor and theatre manager. William's mother was the youngest of six sisters. One of her sisters, Ann Brunton Merry, was also an actress.
William Craven studied at Christ Church, Oxford University.
Career and Public Service
When his father died in 1825, William became the Earl of Craven. He also inherited the family's large estate, Combe Abbey. He hired an architect named W. Eden Nesfield to build a new part of Combe Abbey. This was Nesfield's first big project.
William Craven joined the Royal Berkshire Militia as a captain in 1829. He left the militia in 1831. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Warwickshire in 1831. Later that year, he became a Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire too.
In 1853, he was chosen to be the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. This was a very important role, representing the King or Queen in the county. He held this position until 1856, when he resigned because he was not well. Lord Craven also served as the Recorder of Coventry. He was also the High Steward of Newbury.
Lord Craven was interested in horse racing. He owned a racehorse named Charity. This horse won the famous 1841 Grand National race. He was also one of the first people to explore and use photography.
Personal Life and Family
On September 5, 1835, Lord Craven married Lady Emily Mary Grimston. She was the daughter of James Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam. William and Emily had nine children together:
- Lady Elizabeth Charlotte Louisa Craven (1836–1919)
- Capt. William Augustus Frederick Craven, Viscount Uffington (1838–1865)
- Lady Evelyn Mary Craven (1839–1924)
- George Grimston Craven, 3rd Earl of Craven (1841–1883)
- Lady Blanche Craven (1842–1930)
- Lady Beatrix Jane Craven (1844–1907)
- Lady Emily Georgiana Craven (1846–1932)
- Lt. Col. Hon. Osbert William Craven (1848–1923)
- Hon. Robert Walter Craven (1850–1866)
Lord Craven passed away on August 25, 1866. His wife, Emily, Countess of Craven, lived for more than 30 years after him. She died in London on May 21, 1901.
His Grandchildren
Through his second daughter's first marriage, Lord Craven was the grandfather of George Brudenell-Bruce, 4th Marquess of Ailesbury.
