Francis Hastings, 16th Earl of Huntingdon
Encyclopedia
Francis John Clarence Westenra Plantagenet Hastings, 16th Earl of Huntingdon (30 January 1901 – 24 August 1990), known as Viscount Hastings until 1939, was a British
artist, academic and Labour
politician.
, Christ Church, Oxford
, and the Slade School of Art, London
. He was a pupil of the Mexican mural
painter Diego Rivera
and had exhibitions in notably London, Paris
, Chicago
and San Francisco. He was also a Professor at the Camberwell College of Arts
and the Central School of Arts & Crafts
, London. During the Second World War he was Deputy Controller of Defence of the Andover
Rural District Council from 1941 to 1945. Huntingdon succeeded in the earldom in 1939 and took his seat on the Labour benches in the House of Lords
. He served under Clement Attlee
as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries from 1945 to 1950. He was later Chairman of the Committee of the Society of Mural Painters between 1951 and 1958 and was the author of The Golden Octopus and Commonsense about India.
). They divorced in 1943 (Cristina then married Wogan Philipps, 2nd Baron Milford
and died in 1953). with her he had one daughter:
Huntingdon had two grandsons through his daughter, who was famously unmaternal:
In 1944, Lord Huntingdon married secondly Margaret Lane, (daughter of Harry George Lane, and former wife of Bryan Wallace, son of Edgar Wallace
). Lady Huntingdon was a writer and critic and published books on Beatrix Potter
, Samuel Johnson
and the Brontë sisters
. They had two daughters:
Lord Huntingdon died in August 1990, aged 89, and was succeeded in the earldom by his first cousin once removed William Edward Robin Hood Hastings-Bass. Lady Huntingdon died in 1994.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist, academic and Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Life
Lord Huntingdon was the son of Warner Francis John Plantagenet Hastings, 15th Earl of Huntingdon, and his wife Maud Margaret (née Wilson), and was educated at EtonEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, and the Slade School of Art, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was a pupil of the Mexican mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
painter Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
and had exhibitions in notably London, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and San Francisco. He was also a Professor at the Camberwell College of Arts
Camberwell College of Arts
Camberwell College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, and is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost art and design institutions. It is located in Camberwell, South London, England, with two sites situated at Peckham Road and Wilson Road...
and the Central School of Arts & Crafts
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
, London. During the Second World War he was Deputy Controller of Defence of the Andover
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
Rural District Council from 1941 to 1945. Huntingdon succeeded in the earldom in 1939 and took his seat on the Labour benches in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He served under Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries from 1945 to 1950. He was later Chairman of the Committee of the Society of Mural Painters between 1951 and 1958 and was the author of The Golden Octopus and Commonsense about India.
Mariages, children and grandchildren
In 1925, Huntingdon married firstly Cristina Casati (daughter of Camillo, Marquis Casati Stampa di Soncino, and his wife, the artistic muse LuisaLuisa Casati
Luisa, Marquise Casati Stampa di Soncino was an eccentric Italian heiress, muse, and patroness of the arts in early 20th century Europe...
). They divorced in 1943 (Cristina then married Wogan Philipps, 2nd Baron Milford
Wogan Philipps, 2nd Baron Milford
Wogan Philipps, 2nd Baron Milford was the only member of the Communist Party of Great Britain ever to sit in the House of Lords.-Early life:...
and died in 1953). with her he had one daughter:
- Lady Moorea Black (néeNEENEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Hastings; 4 March 1928 - 21 October 2011). She was from 1957 to 1966 the wife of politician and diarist Woodrow Lyle Wyatt, Baron Wyatt of Weeford, and later married the adman Brinsley Black, named as one of the best-dressed Englishmen in the inaugural issue of Men in Vogue in 1965.
Huntingdon had two grandsons through his daughter, who was famously unmaternal:
- The Hon. Pericles Plantagenet James Casati Wyatt (born 1963), became an owner and operator of water parkWater parkA waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
s and recreational vehicleRecreational vehicleRecreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
camps in ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
; half-brother to journalist Petronella WyattPetronella WyattPetronella Wyatt , is a British journalist and author. She is the daughter of the former journalist and Labour politician, the late Woodrow Wyatt, and his fourth wife, the Hungarian Veronica Banszky Von Ambroz.-Biography:...
. - Octavius Orlando Irvine Casati BlackOctavius BlackOctavius Orlando Irvine Casati Black is the CEO of The Mind Gym. He is close to prime minister David Cameron. Black is married to the libel barrister and Tory candidate Joanne Cash.-Early life:Black was born 2 May 1968 in West London...
(born 1968), the founder of The Mind Gym, a mind development system based in London; was at EtonEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
with David CameronDavid CameronDavid William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, to whom he remains close; married to Tory barrister Joanne CashJoanne CashJoanne Cash is a media barrister. She was the unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for Westminster North in the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
.
In 1944, Lord Huntingdon married secondly Margaret Lane, (daughter of Harry George Lane, and former wife of Bryan Wallace, son of Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
). Lady Huntingdon was a writer and critic and published books on Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian...
, Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
and the Brontë sisters
Brontë
The Brontës were a nineteenth-century literary family associated with Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The sisters, Charlotte , Emily , and Anne , are well-known as poets and novelists...
. They had two daughters:
- Lady Selina Shirley Hastings (born 5 Mar 1945)
- Lady Caroline Harriet Shackleton (née Hastings; born 12 Jun 1946)
Lord Huntingdon died in August 1990, aged 89, and was succeeded in the earldom by his first cousin once removed William Edward Robin Hood Hastings-Bass. Lady Huntingdon died in 1994.