Grey Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie

Alexander Patrick Greysteil Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie PC , FRSL (born 26 November 1939), usually known as Grey Gowrie, was a Conservative Party politician for some years, including a period in the British Cabinet, and was later Chairman of Sotheby's and of the Arts Council of England. He has also published poetry.

The Earl of Gowrie is the hereditary Clan Chief of Clan Ruthven.

Life

Ruthven was born in Ireland on 26 November 1939, the first son of Major the Hon. Patrick Hore-Ruthven, only surviving son of the 1st Baron Gowrie.

His father was killed in action in 1942, at which point he became his grandfather's heir apparent, and so when his grandfather was created Earl of Gowrie in 1945 he was styled Viscount Ruthven of Canberra. He was educated at Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford, and later at Harvard University.

Lord Ruthven of Canberra succeeded as 2nd Earl of Gowrie on the death of his grandfather on 2 May 1955, and also succeeded his great uncle (his grandfather's elder brother) the 10th Lord Ruthven of Freeland as 3rd Baron Ruthven of Gowrie on 16 April 1956 (the Scottish Lordship of Ruthven of Freeland passed instead via the female line).

Lord Gowrie inherited Castlemartin House and Estate at Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, Ireland from his great-aunt Sheelagh Blacker in 1967, and later sold it to Tony O'Reilly. At the British royal court, he was a Lord-in-Waiting from 1972 to 1974.

He published one volume of poetry in his 20s, after a period working as an assistant to American poet Robert Lowell, and later co-authored a book on British painting, published in 1975.

Gowrie joined the Conservative front bench in 1972 as a whip, and was later Minister of State for Employment (1979-1981), and Minister of State for Northern Ireland (1981-1983). He became a member of the Privy Council in 1983.

He was later Minister for the Arts (1983-1985) and, as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1984-1985), a Cabinet Minister.

Gowrie resigned as "Minister for the Arts" in 1985, stating that it was impossible for him to live in London on the £33,000 salary provided for the post. After leaving government, he became Chairman of Sotheby's (1985-1994) and later of the Arts Council of England - described as "the appointment of a Scot, born in Ireland and living in Wales". At the Arts Council he secured the role as a distributor of funds from the national lottery and had its Royal Charter renewed.

In summer 1999, Gowrie, having been diagnosed with a serious heart condition, checked into Harefield Hospital, and, after a heart transplant, and a long recovery, left hospital in 2000. His health has remained frail since. He became friends with his principal surgeon, Sir Magdi Yacoub, and now chairs the institute named for him. Following his release from hospital, he published his first book of poetry for decades, "The Domino Hymn".

Family

He is the elder son of Major the Hon. Patrick Hore-Ruthven and the late Pamela Margaret Fletcher (who later married Major Derek Cooper, of the Life Guards) [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060802/ai_n16655293] . His younger brother is Malise Ruthven.

He married Alexandra Bingley, daughter of Colonel Robert Bingley, on 1 November 1962. He and Alexandra Bingley were divorced in 1974; they had one son:

*Patrick Leo Brer Hore-Ruthven, Viscount Ruthven of Canberra (b. 4 February 1964), who in turn had one son by Julie Goldsmith, Heatcote Patrick Cornelius Hore-Ruthven, born 28 May 1990 He married Adelheid Gräfin von der Schulenburg (b. 24 October 1943), sixth and youngest child and fifth and youngest daughter of Fritz-Dietlof von der Schulenburg (1902-10 August 1944) and his wife Charlotte Kotelmann, [ Leo van der Pas. [http://worldroots.com/brigitte/famous/h/herbordbismarckdesc1280-13.htm "Descendants of Herbert von Bismarck: Generation 21": Part XXI-88 (XX-49-1)] and [http://worldroots.com/brigitte/famous/h/herbordbismarckdesc1280-17.htm "Descendants of Herbert von Bismarck: Generation 22": XXII-88 (XXI-88-1)] ; this however, mentions only two children out of six, per Countess Elisabeth von der Schulenburg's [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&targetRule=10&xml=%2Fnews%2F2001%2F02%2F20%2Fdb02.xml Daily Telegraph obituary] . Count Fritz-Dietlof was himself fourth son (out of five sons) of Count Friedrich von der Schulenburg (d. 1939) by his wife Freda-Marie von Arnim.] on 2 November 1974.

Offices and titles held

* This title, inherited 2 May 1955 includes subsidiary titles:- Viscount Ruthven of Canberra- Baron Gowrie, of Canberra, Australia and of Dirleton, East Lothian

References