Gwendolen Guinness, Countess of Iveagh
| The Countess of Iveagh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Southend | |
|
In office 19 November 1927 – 13 November 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Viscount Elveden |
| Succeeded by | Henry Channon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gwendolen Florence Mary Onslow 22 July 1881 |
| Died | 16 February 1966 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh |
| Children |
Hon. Richard Guinness Honor, Lady Channon Arthur Guinness, Viscount Elveden Patricia Lennox-Boyd, Viscountess Boyd of Merton Brigid, Princess Frederick of Prussia |
| Parents |
William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow Florence Gardner |
Gwendolen Florence Mary Guinness, Countess of Iveagh (née Lady Gwendolen Florence Mary Onslow; 22 July 1881 – 16 February 1966) was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and Conservative politician. She was, by marriage, a member of the Guinness brewing dynasty.
Early life
She was the daughter of William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow (1853–1911), and Florence Coulston Onslow, née Gardner (1853–1934).
Marriage and career
She was married to the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Southend, Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh. In 1927, he ceased to be an MP when he succeeded to his father's earldom. The Countess of Iveagh, as Gwendolen Guinness was now known, won the Southend by-election on 19 November 1927 to replace her husband as MP. She served until her retirement at the 1935 general election.
When she retired in 1935 she was succeeded as MP by her eldest daughter Honor Guinness's husband, Henry "Chips" Channon. Another son-in-law, Alan Lennox-Boyd, was an MP (for Mid Bedfordshire 1931-60), making the first mother- and son-in-law set of MPs.
Clandon House
In 1956 she presented her Surrey childhood home, Clandon House, to the National Trust.
Titles
- 1881 – 1903: The Lady Gwendolen Florence Mary Onslow
- 1903 – 1919: The Lady Gwendolyn Guinness
- 1919 – 1927: Viscountess Elveden
- 1927 – 1966: The Right Honourable The Countess of Iveagh
References
- Martin Pugh, "Guinness , Gwendolen Florence Mary, countess of Iveagh (1881–1966)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 27 May 2007
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Countess of Iveagh
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Viscount Elveden |
Member of Parliament for Southend 1927–1935 |
Succeeded by Henry Channon |