John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Grace
The Duke of Rutland
Honorific-Suffix:KG
Order1:Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire
Term Start1:1799
Term End1:1857
Predecessor1:The Duke of Beaufort
Successor1:The Duke of Rutland
Birth Place:Knightsbridge, London, England
Death Place:Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, England
Nationality:British
Children:10, including Emmeline, Charles, John, and George
Parents:Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland
Lady Mary Isabella Somerset

John Henry Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland (4 January 177820 January 1857), styled Lord Roos from 1778 until 1779 and Marquess of Granby from 1779 until 1787, was a British landowner as well as an owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses.

Background

Styled Lord Roos from birth, he was born at Knightsbridge, London, the eldest son of Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland, by Lady Mary Isabella Somerset, daughter of Charles Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort. He was the grandson of John Manners, Marquess of Granby, and the brother of Lord Charles Manners and Lord Robert Manners. He became known as the Marquess of Granby when his father succeeded to the dukedom in 1779. In 1787 he himself succeeded to the dukedom on the death of his father.[1]

Public life

Rutland was Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire between 1799 and 1857. He was also a prominent owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses. His most successful horse was Cadland, which won The Derby in 1828.[2]

Rutland was fictionalized as "the duke" in Benjamin Disraeli's novel Coningsby. His two sons also figured as "the marquis of Beaumanoir" and "Lord Henry Sidney".[3]

There is a bronze statue of him in Market Place, Leicester which was erected on this site in 1852 after having been previously exhibited at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, London in 1851. It was the first public statue to be erected in Leicester, and was unveiled by Sir Frederick Gustavus Fowke, Provincial Grand Master of Freemasons for the Province of Leicestershire, on 28 April 1852. It was sculpted by Edward Davis. It is marked " EDW DAVISSimonet & Fils / Fondeurs Paris 1851".It stands on a high stone plinth on which is carved an inscription as follows:JOHN HENRYDUKE OF RUTLAND, KGLORD LIEUTENANTOF LEICESTERSHIRE.THE INHABITANTSOF THE COUNTY & TOWNOF LEICESTERDURINGTHE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARYOF HIS HIGH OFFICEWITH UNIVERSAL CONSENTCAUSED THIS STATUETO BE ERECTEDM.DCCC.Lii.

PRAESENTI TIBI MATUROS LARCIMUR HONORES.

Family

Rutland married Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle, on 22 April 1799.

They had ten children:

The Duchess oversaw landscaping works at Belvoir Castle grounds and took an active interest in managing the estate, including designing a model farm. She also made improvements to Cheveley Park and oversaw the building works at York House on the Mall for the Duke of York. She was also credited with designing a new palace for George IV.

The Duchess of Rutland died in November 1825, aged 45. Rutland remained a widower until his death at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, in January 1857, aged 79.[1]

Coat of arms

Crest:On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Peacock in its pride proper
Coronet:A Coronet of a Duke
Escutcheon:Or two Bars Azure a Chief quarterly of the last and Gules, in the first and fourth, two Fleur-de-lis, and in the second and third, a Lion passant guardant, all Or
Supporters:On either side a Unicorn Argent armed, maned, tufted and unguled Or
Motto:Pour Y Parvenir ("So as to accomplish it")
Orders:The Garter circlet;
motto: Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame be to him who thinks evil of it).

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Henry Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland . Thepeerage.com . 2013-05-02.
  2. Book: Mortimer. Roger . Onslow. Richard. Willett. Peter. Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. 1999. 0-354-08536-0.
  3. Rutland, Earls and Dukes of. 23. 943.