Earl of Cranbrook

Earl of Cranbrook, in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1892 for the Conservative politician Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, Viscount Cranbrook.^[1] The family seat was Hemsted Park, near Benenden.

Earldom of Cranbrook
Arms of the Earl of Cranbrook Blazon Arms: Quarterly: 1st & 4th, Argent, on a Bend invected, plain cotised Gules, three Catherine Wheels Or, on a Chief Gules, three Leopard’s Faces Or (Hardy); 2nd & 3rd, Per pale Argent and Or, a Bend compony Azure and Gules, between two Pellets, each within an Annulet Sable (Gathorne). Crests: 1st: a Dexter Arm embowed in armour proper, garnished Or, entwined with a Branch of Oak Vert, charged with two Catherine Wheels Gules, one above and one below the elbow, the hand grasping a Dragon’s Head erased proper (Hardy); 2nd: in front of a Wolf’s Head erased Argent, a Staff raguly fesswise Or (Gathorne). Supporters: On either side a Leopard guardant proper, gorged with a Collar Gules, pendant therefrom an Escutcheon Gules charged with a Catherine Wheel Or.
Creation date	22 August 1892
Created by	Queen Victoria
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook
Present holder	Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook
Heir apparent	John Gathorne-Hardy, Lord Medway
Remainder to	the 1st Earl's heirs male of the body
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Cranbrook Baron Medway
Status	Extant
Motto	ARMÉ DE FOI HARDI (Armed with hardy faith)

History

It was created in 1892 for the prominent Conservative politician Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Viscount Cranbrook, son of the wealthy industrialist John Hardy and brother of Sir John Hardy, 1st Baronet. He notably held office as Home Secretary, Lord President of the Council, Secretary of State for War and Secretary of State for India. Gathorne-Hardy gained the "warm-personal regard" of Queen Victoria, and had already been created Viscount Cranbrook, of Hemsted in the County of Kent, in 1878,^[2] and was made Baron Medway, of Hemsted in the County of Kent, at the same time he was given the earldom. The latter title is used as a courtesy title for the Earl's eldest son and heir apparent.

Lord Cranbrook's eldest son, the second Earl, represented Rye, Mid Kent and Medway in the House of Commons as a Conservative. His son, the third Earl, was gazetted as an officer and private secretary New Zealand.

John David Gathorne-Hardy, 4th Earl of Cranbrook (who was previously married to his cousin Bridget D'Oyly Carte) married Fidelity Seebohm (born 1912), on 26 July 1932 and had five children, including Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook, the current earl.

As of 2010^[update] the titles are held by Gathorne, the fifth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1978. He is a zoologist and environmental biologist formerly active in Malaya, who was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Medal in 1995. He was Chairman of the International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature.^[3]

Notable family members

See also: Gathorne-Hardy family

The Hon. Alfred Gathorne-Hardy, third son of the first Earl, sat as a Member of Parliament for Canterbury and East Grinstead. Lady Margaret Gathorne-Hardy, daughter of the first Earl, was the wife of the 2nd Viscount Goschen, Viceroy of India.

The Hon. Edward Gathorne-Hardy, second son of the third Earl, was a botanist and socialite member of the Bright young things who lived in Athens. He was famously eccentric and rumoured to have been in a relationship with Anthony Eden. Lady Dorothy Gathorne-Hardy, daughter of the third Earl, was the wife of Rupert D'Oyly Carte, owner of the Savoy Hotel. Another member of the family was the writer Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy, a grandson of the third Earl.

Earls of Cranbrook (1892)

The 1st Earl of Cranbrook

• Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook (1814–1906)
• John Stewart Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook (1839–1911)
• Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 3rd Earl of Cranbrook (1870–1915)
• John David Gathorne-Hardy, 4th Earl of Cranbrook (1900–1978)
• Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook (b. 1933).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son (John) Jason Gathorne-Hardy, Lord Medway (b. 1968).

Line of succession

Line of succession

Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 3rd Earl of Cranbrook (1870–1915) John David Gathorne-Hardy, 4th Earl of Cranbrook (1900–1978) Dr. Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook (b. 1933) (1). John Jason Gathorne-Hardy, Lord Medway (b. 1968) (2). Hon. Argus Edward Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1973) (3). Jack Hector Jarvis Gathorne-Hardy (b. 2006) (4). Fergus Hawthorne Gathorne-Hardy (b. 2008) (5). Xan Ralph Gathorne-Hardy (b. 2011) (6). Hector Max Gathorne-Hardy (b. 2013) (7). Hon. Hugh Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1941) (8). Frederick Jasper Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1972) (9). Alfred Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1978) Hon. Antony Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy (1907–1976) Jonathan Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy (1933–2019) (10). Benjamin Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1967) (11). Samuel Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1936) (12). Robert Dee Gathorne-Hardy (b. 1973) [4]