William Craven, 5th Earl of Craven

William George Bradley Craven, 5th Earl of Craven (31 July 1897 – 15 September 1932) was a British peer.

The Right Honourable

The Earl of Craven
Craven in 1915
Born
William George Bradley Craven

(1897-07-31)31 July 1897
Combe Abbey, Warwickshire
Died15 September 1932(1932-09-15) (aged 35)
Pau, France
EducationEton College
Spouse
Mary Williamina George
​
​
(m. 1916)​
Children6th Earl of Craven
Parent(s)4th Earl of Craven
Cornelia Martin
RelativesBradley Martin (grandfather)

Early life

Craven was born on 31 July 1897 at Combe Abbey, Warwickshire and was baptized by the Archbishop of York on 27 August 1897.[1] He was the only child of William Craven, 4th Earl of Craven (1868–1921),[2] and his American wife, Cornelia Martin (1877–1961).[3][4]

His paternal grandparents were George Craven, 3rd Earl of Craven and Lady Evelyn Barrington (the second daughter and co-heiress of George Barrington, 7th Viscount Barrington). His mother was the only daughter of Bradley Martin and his wife Cornelia, who were famed as the hosts of the Bradley-Martin Ball.[5]

Craven was educated at Eton College.[6]

Career

Craven "attained his majority in 1918, when his father paid all of his then existing debts",[7] but by September 1919 he was bankrupt with "unsecured liabilities" of £13,610 to assets of only £302.[7] He inherited the earldom at age 23 upon the accidental drowning of his father William Craven, 4th Earl of Craven on 9 July 1921.[2]

The 5th Earl served during the World War I as a Lieutenant with the 3rd Bn. Royal Hampshire Regiment and was wounded in action,[8] losing a leg and sustaining a serious arm injury.[6]

At one time, Lord Craven was mentioned as a possible successor to Lord Byng as Governor-General of Canada.[6]

Personal life

On 14 October 1911, when known by the courtesy title Viscount Uffington, he married Mary Williamina George, daughter of William George, the town clerk of Invergordon.[8] Together they had one son:

In 1922, shortly after inheriting the earldom, Lord Craven was named in the divorce suit between George Cathcart, 5th Earl Cathcart and Lady Cathcart, the former Vera Estelle Warter. Lord Cathcart obtained a "decree dissolving his marriage with Lady Cathcart, upon proof being given of her indiscretions with the Earl of Craven".[9] Eighteen months after the Cathcart divorce, the Countess eloped to South Africa with Lord Craven.[10] In 1925, Lady Craven sued the Earl for divorce and named Vera, Countess Cathcart, as the woman in the case.[10] In 1926, Lord Craven and Lady Cathcart were again the centre of controversy when arriving to the United States.[11][12] "While the Countess was held at Ellis Island, a writ for his arrest was issued, but he departed for Canada in time to prevent its being served. His wife joined him in Canada, and they left together for Bermuda,"[6] with Lord Craven denying he was ever "guilty of any moral turpitude".[13][14]

Death

Lord Craven died on 15 September 1932 of peritonitis at Pau, France, at the age of 35.[6] He was succeeded by his son, William Robert Bradley Craven, 6th Earl of Craven, upon his death on 15 September 1932.[15] The Earl and Countess stayed married and she survived him by 42 years, dying in 1974.[8]

References
  1. "Earl of Craven's Heir Baptized". The New York Times. 27 August 1897. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  2. "EARL OF CRAVEN DROWNED IN SOLENT; Believed to Have Fallen Off His Yacht in the Fight While His Crew Were Asleep. MARRIED CORNELIA MARTIN A Member of the Royal Household, He Was Well Knownto Americans". The New York Times. 11 July 1921. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  3. "COUNTESS OF CRAVEN". The New York Times. 24 May 1961. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  4. "WEDDED IN GRANDEST STYLE; NUPTIALS OF MISS MARTIN AND THE EARL OF CRAVEN. Grace Church, Where the Marriage was Celebrated, Filled with Fashionable Peo- ple -- The Occasion Marred by the Break- ing In of the Outside Crowd -- Decora- tions in Lavish Profusion at Church and House -- A Hundred-Pound Wedding Cake -- Value of the Presents". The New York Times. 19 April 1893. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  5. Cokayne, George (1982). The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant. Vol. III. Gloucester England: A. Sutton. p. 506. ISBN 0-904387-82-8.
  6. TIMES, Special Cable to THE NEW YORK (17 September 1932). "EARL OF CRAVEN DIES IN. PYRENEES; Grandson of the Late Bradley Martin of New York Was 35 Years Old. LOST A LEG IN WORLD WAR -- His Only Son, Viscount Uffington, a Youth of 16, Succeeds to the Title". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  7. Times, the New York Times Company Special Cable To the New York (25 September 1919). "LORD UFFINGTON BANKRUPT.; Heir of the Earl of Craven Cannot Meet Demands of Money Lenders". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  8. Cokayne, George (1982). The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant. Gloucester England: A. Sutton. p. 217. ISBN 0-7509-0154-3.
  9. "EARL CATHCART DIVORCED.; Evidence Is Offered That Involved the Earl of Craven". The New York Times. 25 February 1922. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  10. TIMES, Special Cable to THE NEW YORK (14 July 1925). "WIFE SUES EARL OF CRAVEN; Divorce Action Follows His Elopement With Countess of Cathcart". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  11. Times, Special to The New York (13 February 1926). "COUNTESS CATHCART GAINS 3-DAY STAY; Labor Department to Hear Her Appeal on Exclusion Order on Monday. FINAL ACTION BY DAVIS Earl of Craven Denies Any Part in Barring Her -- He Had No Trouble on Arriving Here. COUNTESS CATHCART GAINS 3-DAY STAY". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  12. Times, Special to The New York (14 February 1926). "BAN ON COUNTESS ASSAILED BY WOMEN; National Party Protests to Secretary Davis Against Admission of Man in the Case. OTHERS PRAISE EXCLUSION LaGuardia Hopes Earl of Craven's Social Connections Will Not Prevent Equal Justice". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  13. Times, Special to The New York (16 February 1926). "CRAVEN IN MONTREAL, TELLS HIS RESENTMENT; Fleeing Prospective Detention at 'Infamous' Ellis Island, Earl 'Seeks Redress.'". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  14. Times, Special to The New York (17 February 1926). "CRAVEN GOES SIGHTSEEING; Wife to Join Him in Canada Before He Sails for Bermuda". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  15. Mosley, Charles (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. London: Burke's Peerage. p. 949. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.

Coat of arms
Coat of arms of William Craven, 5th Earl of Craven
Coronet
A Coronet of an Earl
Crest
On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Griffin statant wings elevated Ermine beaked and foremembered Or
Escutcheon
Argent a Fess between six Cross Crosslets fitchée Gules
Supporters
On either side a Griffin wings elevated Ermine beaked and foremembered Or
Motto
Virtus In Actione Consistit (Virtue consists in action)
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