Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury
 |
The Earl of Shrewsbury | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Lord High Steward of Ireland | |
| Assumed office 12 November 1980 | |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Hereditary peerage 16 February 1981 – 11 November 1999 | |
| Preceded by | The 21st Earl of Shrewsbury |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Hereditary peerage 11 November 1999 | |
| Election | 1999 |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot 18 December 1952 Ingestre Hall, Staffordshire |
| Nationality | English |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Deborah Jane Hutchinson |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | John Chetwynd-Talbot, 21st Earl of Shrewsbury Nadine Crofton |
| Education | Harrow School |
Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury, 22nd Earl of Waterford, 7th Earl Talbot, DL (born 18 December 1952), styled Viscount Ingestre until 1980, is an English nobleman and the Lord High Steward of Ireland. He is the premier earl in the Peerage of England as the Earl of Shrewsbury (created 1442), and in the Peerage of Ireland as the Earl of Waterford (1446). He also holds the titles of Earl Talbot and Baron Talbot.[1]
Background and education[edit]
He is the fifth child and eldest son of John Chetwynd-Talbot, 21st Earl of Shrewsbury, and his first wife, Nadine Crofton, daughter of Brigadier General Cyril Randell Crofton. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, was his godfather. His parents divorced in 1963. He was educated at Harrow School.[1]
Political career[edit]
Lord Shrewsbury is one of the 92 hereditary peers elected to sit in the House of Lords and a whip for the Conservative and Unionist Party, after previously enjoying automatic right to sit since succeeding to his father's peerage in 1980. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 1994.[2]
SpectrumX[edit]
In April 2022, House of Lords commissioners for standards launched an investigation into Lord Shrewsbury for allegedly breaching rules designed to prevent peers profiting financially from their membership of the Lords.[3] It was subsequent revealed that the investigation related to Lord Shrewsbury's dealings with SpectrumX, a healthcare firm that paid the peer £3000 a month between the summer of 2020 and January 2022.[4]
In May 2022, the standards commissioner concluded that Lord Shrewsbury was guilty of a minor breach of the peers’ Code of Conduct and ordered him to write a letter of apology to Lords authorities.[5]
In August 2022, the House of Lords commissioners for standards launched a second investigation after leaked documents revealed that Lord Shrewsbury boasted of “very considerable” potential to open doors for SpectrumX, through what he described as “my extremely high-level contacts”.[6]
In September 2022, the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists concluded that Lord Shrewsbury had failed to register his company, Talbot Consulting Ltd, before contacting Diana Barran, a junior minister at the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and Alex Burghart, a junior education minister, regarding SpectrumX. The registrar, Harry Rich, concluded that Lord Shrewsbury's actions contravened the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.[7]
In October 2022, it was revealed that Lord Shrewsbury failed to inform Whitehall officials that he was being paid by SpectrumX. This action contradicted Lord Shrewsbury's earlier claims that he had made Whitehall officials aware of his financial interests when he promoted one of SpectrumX's products in 2021.[8]
Other interests[edit]
He is involved as patron or honorary president of a number of charities or voluntary bodies, including being High Steward of Sheffield Cathedral. He is a former president of the Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust and patron of ten Anglican benefices.[2]
An enthusiastic supporter of country sports, Lord Shrewsbury is a former president of the Gun Trade Association and remains deputy-chairman of the Standing Conference on Country Sports. He is a liveryman of three London livery companies: the companies of weavers, gunmakers and blacksmiths. He is a former chairman of the Firearms Consultative Committee at the Home Office, and former chairman and president of the British Shooting Sports Council. He is a member of the Army & Navy Club and Pratt's Club. Lord Shrewsbury has derived an income over many years by divesting himself of Manorial Titles through auction houses, a practice which has brought him into the public eye.[9][10][11]
He retired as director and deputy chairman of Britannia Building Society and then was appointed president of the Building Societies Association. Lord Shrewsbury was appointed as the first Chancellor of Wolverhampton University and was awarded an Honorary LLD. He promotes British industry and commerce in the United States and at home. He acts as senior advisor to a number of major UK businesses.[citation needed]
He voluntarily represents and promotes the British shooting sports and all countryside issues both in Parliament and to a wider audience.[citation needed]
He is an enthusiastic kitchen gardener and an accomplished cook.[citation needed]
Family[edit]
On 5 January 1973, he married Deborah Jane Hutchinson, daughter of Noel Staughton Hutchinson and Jenifer Hutchinson of Ellerton, Shropshire. They have three children:[1][2]
- Lady Victoria Chetwynd-Talbot (b. 7 September 1975). Married Daniel Goodall in 2005; has one child:
- Charlie Goodall (b. 15 September 2006)
- James Chetwynd-Talbot, Viscount Ingestre (b. 11 January 1978). Married Polly Blackie of Debden, Essex, in 2006; has four children:
- The Hon. Matilda Chetwynd-Talbot (b. 3 November 2008)
- The Hon. Rose Chetwynd-Talbot (b. 20 February 2010)
- The Hon. Flora Chetwynd-Talbot (b. 30 September 2011)
- The Hon. George Chetwynd-Talbot (b. 3 May 2013)
- The Hon. Edward Chetwynd-Talbot (b. 18 September 1981). Married Rosie Myers of Scamblesby, Lincolnshire, in 2010; has one daughter:
- Jemima Grey Chetwynd-Talbot
Lord Shrewsbury and his family live near Ashbourne in Derbyshire – a house a few yards into Staffordshire. Lady Shrewsbury was High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 2000.
Arms[edit]
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References[edit]
- ^ a b c Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 3602. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
- ^ a b c Montague-Smith, Patrick W., ed. (2008). "Shrewsbury and Waterford, Earl of (Chetwynd-Talbot) (Earl E 1442, I 1446, and GB 1784)". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2008. London: Debrett's Peerage Limited.
- ^ "Lords watchdog investigates Earl of Shrewsbury over financial rules". The Guardian. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ "Tory peer faces second investigation over lobbying allegations". the Guardian. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Tory peer 'paid £3,000 after offering to open doors for Covid sanitiser firm'". The Independent. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Tory peer faces second investigation over lobbying allegations". the Guardian. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Tory peer broke lobbying rules, Whitehall watchdog finds". the Guardian. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Tory peer apparently misled watchdog investigating his alleged misconduct". the Guardian. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "Aristocratic titles aplenty go on auction block". 16 February 2011.
- ^ "A Real Game of Thrones: The Big Business of Buying and Selling Royal Titles". Forbes.
- ^ "Whitchurch Lordship has gone on sale".
- "Milestones, Jan. 5, 1953". Time. 5 January 1953. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
- Burke's Peerage
External links[edit]
- Profile at the Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
- Some Maternal Ancestry
- Articles with short description
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- EngvarB from July 2017
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- Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021
- AC with 0 elements
- 1952 births
- Living people
- People educated at Harrow School
- Deputy Lieutenants of Staffordshire
- Hereditary peers elected under the House of Lords Act
- Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers
- Talbot family
- Recipients of the Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)
- Earls of Shrewsbury
- Earls of Waterford
- Barons Talbot
- Earls Talbot