Alistair Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry

Alexander Charles Robert "Alastair" Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry^[1] (7 September 1937 – 20 June 2012) was a British nobleman.

Alistair Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry
Born	(1937-09-07)7 September 1937
Died	20 June 2012(2012-06-20) (aged 74)
Spouse(s)	Nicolette Harrison ​ ​ (m. 1958; div. 1971)​ Doreen Wells ​ ​ (m. 1972; div. 1989)​
Children	4
Father	Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart

Biography

The son of Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry (1902–1955) and his wife, the former Romaine Combe (died 1951), Alexander Charles Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart was known as "Alastair". He was educated at Ludgrove School.^[2] When the 8th Marquess died in 1955, Alastair became the 9th Marquess at age 18. He renovated the family estate, Wynyard Park, County Durham, which Nikolaus Pevsner described as "the most splendid 19th-century mansion house in the county". Wynyard was sold by Lord Londonderry in 1987 and is now owned by the property developer Sir John Hall.^[3]

Lord Londonderry was an accomplished pianist, and a self-taught linguist.^{[citation needed]} He was an authority on Franz Liszt, the Hungarian composer and virtuoso, and could read French, German, and Italian.^{[citation needed]}

His first wife, whom he married in 1958, was Nicolette Elaine Katherine, daughter of Michael Harrison, a stockbroker, and his Latvian-born wife.^[4] Nicolette, Lady Londonderry, gave birth to two daughters: Lady Sophia (b. 23 February 1959) and Lady Cosima (b. 25 December 1961, who married Lord John Robert Somerset, third son of David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort).

She also gave birth to a son, Tristan, who was once but is no longer styled Viscount Castlereagh, as Lord Londonderry later proved that Tristan was not his biological child, but that of the singer Georgie Fame.^{[citation needed]} The Londonderrys divorced in 1971.^[5] Lady Cosima would later claim that her biological father was actually Robin Douglas-Home, nephew of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the former Prime Minister.^[6] Nicolette married Georgie Fame^[7] in 1972; they later had another son, James. She committed suicide in 1993.^[8]

Lord Londonderry's second wife was Doreen Patricia Wells, former principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, whom he married in 1972; they divorced in 1989. They had two sons, Frederick Aubrey Vane-Tempest-Stewart (born 6 September 1972), and Lord Reginald Alexander Vane-Tempest-Stewart (b. 1977), who is married to Chloë Belinda Guinness (born 29 April 1976); the couple have a son and two daughters.^[9]

Death

The 9th Marquess of Londonderry died on 20 June 2012, aged 74. His elder son, Frederick Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, succeeded to his titles as the 10th Marquess.^[1]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Alistair Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry

16. George Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry 8. Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry 17. Mary Edwards 4. Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry 18. Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury 9. Lady Theresa Chetwynd-Talbot 19. Anna Cockerell 2. Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry 20. Henry Chaplin 10. Henry Chaplin, 1st Viscount Chaplin 21. Carolina Ellice 5. The Hon. Edith Chaplin 22. George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland 11. Lady Florence Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 23. Anne Hay-Mackenzie, 1st Countess of Cromartie 1. Alistair Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry 24. Charles Combe 12. Richard Combe 25. Henrietta Church 6. Boyce Combe 26. John Hollway 13. Esther Hollway ? 3. Romaine Combe 28. John Tombs 14. Henry Tombs 29. Mary Remington 7. Mabel Tombs 30. James Stirling 15. Georgina Stirling 31. Ellen Mangles

v t e Marquess of Londonderry family tree

Alexander Stewart 1699–1781 Baron Londonderry (2nd creation), 1789 Viscount Castlereagh, 1795 Earl of Londonderry (3rd creation), 1796 Marquess of Londonderry, 1816 Sarah Frances Seymour 1747–1770 Robert Stewart 1739–1821 1st Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry Frances Pratt c. 1751–1833 Baron Stewart, 1814 Earl Vane and Viscount Seaham, 1823 Robert Stewart 1769–1822 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry Catherine Bligh d. 1812 Charles William Vane (né Stewart) 1778–1854 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 1st Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Frances Anne Vane 1800–1865 Frederick William Robert Stewart 1805–1872 4th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest 1821–1884 5th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 2nd Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart 1852–1915 6th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 3rd Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart 1878–1949 7th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 4th Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Edward Charles Stewart Robert "Robin" Vane-Tempest-Stewart 1902–1955 8th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 5th Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Alexander Charles Robert "Alastair" Vane-Tempest-Stewart 1937–2012 9th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 6th Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Frederick Vane-Tempest-Stewart b. 1972 10th Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Londonderry, Viscount Castlereagh, and Baron Londonderry 7th Earl Vane, Viscount Seaham, and Baron Stewart Reginald Alexander Vane-Tempest-Stewart b. 1977 Heir presumptive to all titles

References

1. "The Marquess of Londonderry". Telegraph. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
2. Barber, Richard (2004). The Story of Ludgrove. Oxford: Guidon Publishing. p. 176. ISBN 0-9543617-2-5.
3. "Annabel Goldsmith prepares joyful celebration for the late Marquess of Londonderry". Daily Telegraph.
4. "Maria Harrison". 8 April 2004.
5. "Sale of the century as aristocrats auction heirlooms". Daily Telegraph.
6. Owens, Mitchell. "Blood Tells. So Does Burke's", The New York Times, 27 June 1999. Accessed 28 January 2010.
7. High Society: Whatever happened to the last of the debs?, The Independent, 24 September 2006. Accessed 28 January 2010
8. "Obituary: Alexander Charles Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the 9th Marquess of Londonderry, aristocrat and landowner".
9. "9th Marquess of Londonderry. Aristocrat. September 7, 1937. Died June 20, 2012. Aged 74". 22 June 2012.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Marquess of Londonderry
• http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-alexander-charles-robert-vane-tempest-stewart-the-9th-marquess-of-londonderry-aristocrat-and-landowner-1-2388507
• http://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/328299/9th-Marquess-of-Londonderry-Aristocrat-September-7-1937-Died-June-20-2012-Aged-74.
• Wynyard Hall official site

Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart	Marquess of Londonderry 1955–2012	Succeeded by Frederick Vane-Tempest-Stewart