George Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry

George William Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry PC (9 May 1838 – 13 March 1930), known as Viscount Deerhurst until 1843, was a British Conservative politician.

Coventry was the son of George William Coventry, Viscount Deerhurst, eldest son of George William Coventry, 8th Earl of Coventry. His mother was Harriett Anne, daughter of Sir Charles Cockerell, 1st Baronet. His father died when he was six months old and his mother when he was three. Coventry was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He sat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords and served under Benjamin Disraeli as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (government chief whip in the House of Lords) from 1877 to 1880 and under Lord Salisbury as Master of the Buckhounds from 1886 to 1892 and from 1895 to 1900. In 1877 he was admitted to the Privy Council. Coventry was also Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire from 1891 to 1903. Apart from his political career he was also involved in horseracing. His racing colours were brown with blue cap and were carried to victory in consecutive Grand Nationals by the half sisters Emblem, 1863, and Emblematic, 1864.

Lord Coventry married Lady Blanche, daughter of the William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven, on 25 January 1865. They had six sons and three daughters. He died on 13 March 1930, aged 91, and was succeeded in the earldom by his grandson George, the son of George William Coventry, Viscount Deerhurst. His second son the Hon. Charles Coventry was a soldier and successful cricketer. Lady Craven survived her husband by only three days and died on 16 March 1930, aged 87.

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/ www.thepeerage.com]