Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster

File:Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, Vanity Fair, 1881-07-30.jpg

"A great officer of State". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1881.

Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster PC (1 October 1830 – 24 December 1910), known as 2nd Baron Aveland from 1867 to 1888 and as 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby from 1888 to 1892, was a British Liberal politician and court official.

Born Gilbert Henry Heathcote, he was the son of Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baron Aveland and Clementina Elizabeth Drummond-Willoughby, 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge.

In 1852 Ancaster was elected to the House of Commons for Boston, a seat he held until 1856, and then represented Rutland until he succeeded his father as second Baron Aveland in 1867. In 1872 he assumed by Royal license the additional surnames of Willoughby and Drummond. He held the office of Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain from 1871 to 1901 and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1880. In 1888 he succeeded his mother as twenty-fifth Baron Willoughby de Eresby and four years later he was created Earl of Ancaster, in the County of Lincoln. This was a revival of the title held by his maternal ancestors the Dukes of Ancaster and Kesteven.

Lord Ancaster married Lady Evelyn Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly, in 1863. They had ten children:

• Lady Evelyn Clementina Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1864–1924), married Maj.-Gen. Sir Henry Ewart, 1st Baronet of White House.
• Lady Margaret Mary Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1866– ), married in 1902 Gideon Macpherson Rutherford, barrister-at-law.
• Hon. Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1867–1951), succeeded as 2nd Earl of Ancaster.
• Lady Nina Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1869–1940).
• Brig.-Gen. Hon. Charles Strathavon Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1870–1949), fought in the Second Boer War and World War I.
• Lt.-Col. Hon. Claud Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1872–1950), fought in the Second Boer War and World War I, and was a Conservative politician.
• Lady Cecilie Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1874– ) married Thomas Clarence Edward Goff.
• Lady Alice Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1876–1951).
• Lady Mary Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (1878– ), married the 14th Earl of Dalhousie and became the mother of both the 15th and the 16th Earl.
• Lt-Cdr Hon. Peter Robert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, RN (1885–1914), naval officer killed in the sinking of HMS Monmouth at the Battle of Coronel.

Lord Ancaster died on 24 December 1910, aged 80, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son

References

• Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 100th Edn, London, 1953.
• Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby at thepeerage.com
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord Ancaster

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by James William Freshfield Benjamin Cabbell	Member of Parliament for Boston 1852–1856 With: Benjamin Cabbell	Succeeded by Herbert Ingram Benjamin Cabbell
Preceded by Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Bt Hon. Gerard Noel	Member of Parliament for Rutland 1856–1867 With: Hon. Gerard Noel	Succeeded by Hon. Gerard Noel George Finch
Court offices
Preceded by The 23rd Lord Willoughby de Eresby	Lord Great Chamberlain Acting 1871–1888	Succeeded by Himself
Preceded by Himself as Deputy	Lord Great Chamberlain 1888–1901	Succeeded by The Marquess of Cholmondeley
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Earl of Ancaster 1892–1910	Succeeded by Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby
Preceded by Gilbert John Heathcote	Baron Aveland 1867–1910
Peerage of England
Preceded by Clementina Elizabeth Drummond-Willoughby	Baron Willoughby de Eresby 1888–1910	Succeeded by Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby