Viscount Grandison

Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison, 1st Baron Tregoz

Viscount Grandison, of Limerick, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1620 for Sir Oliver St John, the Lord Deputy of Ireland. He was the descendant and namesake of Oliver St John, whose elder brother Sir John St John was the ancestor of the Barons St John of Bletso and the Earls of Bolingbroke. Moreover, St John's nephew Sir John St John, 1st Baronet, of Lydiard Tregoze, was the ancestor of the Viscounts Bolingbroke and the Viscounts St John.

At the time of its creation in 1620, the Grandison viscountcy was given special remainder to the male issue of his niece Barbara Villiers. She was the wife of Sir Edward Villiers, the elder half-brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey and John Villiers, 1st Viscount Purbeck.

In 1626 the 1st Viscount Grandison was also created Baron Tregoz in the Peerage of England, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body. On his death in 1630 the barony of Tregoz became extinct as he left no male heirs. He was succeeded in the viscountcy according to the special remainder by William Villiers, the eldest son of Barbara and Sir Edward Villiers. William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison (1614–1643) was a supporter of King Charles I and died of wounds received at the Battle of Bristol in 1643. His daughter the Hon. Barbara Villiers, became the mistress of King Charles II and was created Duchess of Cleveland in 1670.

The second Viscount Grandison had had no sons and was succeeded in the viscountcy by his younger brother, the third Viscount. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fourth Viscount. On his death the title passed to his grandson, the fifth Viscount. He was the son of Brigadier-General the Hon. Edward Villiers (died 1693), eldest son of the fourth Viscount. In 1721 the fifth Viscount was created Earl Grandison in the Peerage of Ireland. However, he left no surviving male heirs and the earldom became extinct on his death, while he was succeeded in the Grandison viscountcy by his second cousin William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey, who became the sixth Viscount. Lord Jersey was the great-grandson of Sir Edward Villiers, fifth son of Barbara and Sir Edward Villiers. See the Earl of Jersey for further history of the viscountcy.

In 1746 Elizabeth Mason, daughter of John Villiers, 1st Earl Grandison, was created Viscountess Grandison, and in 1767 she was made Viscountess Villiers and Countess Grandison. All three titles were in the Peerage of Ireland. However, they became extinct on the death of the second Earl in 1800.

Viscount Grandison, first creation (1620)

• Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison (c. 1560–1630)
• William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison (1614–1643)
• John Villiers, 3rd Viscount Grandison (died c. 1661)
• George Villiers, 4th Viscount Grandison (c. 1617–1699) (maternal great-grandfather of Pitt the Elder)
• John Villiers, 5th Viscount Grandison (1692–1766) (created Earl Grandison in 1721)

Earl Grandison, first creation (1721)

John Fitzgerald Villiers, 1st Earl of Grandison

• John Villiers, 1st Earl Grandison, 5th Viscount Grandison (1692–1766)
  • James Villiers, Lord Villiers (died 1732)
  • William Villiers, Lord Villiers (1715–1739)

Viscount Grandison, first creation (1620; reverted)

• William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey, 6th Viscount Grandison (died 1769)

See Earl of Jersey for further Viscounts Grandison

Earl Grandison, second creation (1767)

• Elizabeth Mason, 1st Countess Grandison (died 1782)
• George Mason-Villiers, 2nd Earl Grandison (1751–1800)

Family tree

Earls of Bolingbroke and Earls of Jersey with subsidiary and courtesy titles

Oliver St John d.  1437 Margaret Beauchamp c. 1410–before 1482 John Beaufort 1404–1444 1st Duke of Somerset John St John d. c. 1482 Oliver St John d. c. 1497 Margaret Beaufort 1443–1509 Countess of Richmond and Derby John St John c. 1450–after 1502 John St John 1473–1512 King Henry VII 1457–1509 John St John d. c. 1562 John St John 1473–1512 Baron St John of Bletso, 1559 Oliver St John c. 1522–1582 1st Baron St John of Bletso Nicholas St John d. 1589 Viscount Grandison of Limerick, 1620 Baron Tregoz of Highworth, 1626 John St John d. 1596 2nd Baron St John of Bletso Oliver St John c. 1540–1618 3rd Baron St John of Bletso John St. John c. 1552–1594 Oliver St. John c. 1560–1630 1st Viscount Grandison and Baron Tregoz of Highworth Barony of Tregoz extinct, 1630 Earl of Bolingbroke, 1624 St John Baronet, of Lydiard Tregoze, 1611 Oliver St John c. 1580–1646 1st Earl of Bolingbroke, 4th Baron St John of Bletso Rowland St John 1588–1645 John St John 1585–1648 1st Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze Barbara St John Edward Villiers c. 1585–1626 St John Baronets, of Woodford, 1660 Oliver St John 1603–1642 5th Baron St John of Bletso Paulet St John d. 1638 Oliver St John c. 1624–1662 1st Baronet St John of Woodford Oliver St John 1612/1613 – November 1641 or 1642 Walter St John 1622–1708 3rd Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze William Villiers 1614–1643 2nd Viscount Grandison John Villiers c. 1616–1659 3rd Viscount Grandison George Villiers 1618–1699 4th Viscount Grandison Edward Villiers 1620–1689 Viscount St John and Baron St John of Battersea, 1716 Viscount Villiers, 1691 Earl of Jersey, 1697 Oliver St John before 1634–1688 2nd Earl of Bolingbroke, 6th Baron St John of Bletso Paulet St John 1634–1711 3rd Earl of Bolingbroke, 7th Baron St John of Bletso St Andrew St John c. 1650–1709 2nd Baronet St John of Woodford John St John 1638–1657 2nd Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze Henry St John baptized 1652–1742 1st Viscount St John and Baron St John of Battersea, 4th Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze Barbara Palmer 1640–1709 Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Castlemaine, Baroness Nonsuch King Charles II 1630–1685 Edward FitzGerald-Villiers c. 1654–1693 Edward Villiers c. 1656–1711 1st Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers Earldom of Bolingbroke extinct, 1711 Viscount Bolingbroke and Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, 1712 Earl Grandison, 1721 Oliver St John c. 1683–1710 3rd Baronet St John of Woodford St Andrew St John c. 1685–1711 4th Baronet St John of Woodford William St John d. 1720 9th Baron St John of Bletso, 6th Baronet St John of Woodson Rowland St John d. 1722 10th Baron St John of Bletso, 7th Baronet St John of Woodson John St John d. 1757 11th Baron St John of Bletso, 8th Baronet St John of Woodson Henry St John 1678–1751 1st Viscount Bolingbroke and Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze John Villiers c. 1684–1766 1st Earl Grandison, 5th Viscount Grandison William Villiers c. 1682–1721 2nd Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers Earldom Grandison extinct, 1766 Paulet St Andrew St John 1711–1714 8th Baron St John of Bletso, 5th Baronet St John of Woodford John St Andrew St John 1725–1767 12th Baron St John of Bletso, 9th Baronet St John of Woodson John St John 1702–1748 2nd Viscount St John and Baron St John of Battersea William Villiers d. 1769 3rd Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 6th Viscount Grandison Frederick St John 1732–1787 3rd Viscount St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 5th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze George Bussy Villiers 1735–1805 4th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 7th Viscount Grandison Henry Beauchamp St John 1758–1805 13th Baron St John of Bletso, 10th Baronet St John of Woodson St Andrew St John 1759–1817 14th Baron St John of Bletso, 11th Baronet St John of Woodson George Richard St John 1761–1824 4th Viscount St John, 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 5th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze Ferdinand St. John 1804–1865 George Child Villiers 1773–1859 5th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 8th Viscount Grandison St Andrew Beauchamp St John 1811–1874 15th Baron St John of Bletso, 12th Baronet St John of Woodson Henry St John 1786–1851 5th Viscount St John, 4th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 6th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze Canon Maurice William Ferdinand St. John 1827–1914 George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers 1808–1859 6th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 9th Viscount Grandison St Andrew St John 1840–1887 16th Baron St John of Bletso, 13th Baronet St John of Woodson Beauchamp Moubray St John 1844–1912 17th Baron St John of Bletso, 14th Baronet St John of Woodson Henry Mildmay St John 1820–1899 6th Viscount St John, 5th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 7th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze Henry Percy St John (1854–1921) Victor Albert George Child Villiers 1845–1915 7th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 10th Viscount Grandison Henry Beauchamp Oliver St John 1876–1920 18th Baron St John of Bletso, 15th Baronet St John of Woodson Moubray St Andrew Thornton St John 1877–1934 19th Baron St John of Bletso, 16th Baronet St John of Woodson Rowland Tudor St John Vernon Henry St John 1896–1974 7th Viscount St John, 6th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 8th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze Geoffrey Robert St. John 1889–1972 George Henry Robert Child Villiers 1873–1923 8th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 11th Viscount Grandison John Moubray Russell St John 1917–1976 20th Baron St John of Bletso, 17th Baronet St John of Woodson Andrew Beauchamp St John 1918–1978 21st Baron St John of Bletso, 18th Baronet St John of Woodson Kenneth Oliver Musgrave St John 1927–2010 8th Viscount St John, 7th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 9th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze George Francis Child-Villiers 1910–1998 9th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 12th Viscount Grandison Anthony Tudor St John b. 1957 22nd Baron St John of Bletso, 19th Baronet St John of Woodson Henry FitzRoy St John 1957–2011 9th Viscount St John, 8th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and 8th Baron St John of Battersea, 10th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze George Henry Child Villiers 1948–1998 styled Viscount Villiers Nicholas Alexander Mowbray St John b. 1974 10th Viscount St John, 9th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea, 12th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze George Francis William Child Villiers b. 1976 10th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers, 13th Viscount Grandison Oliver Beauchamp St John b. 1995 George Henry William Child Villiers b. 2015 styled Viscount Villiers

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• Lundy, Darryl. "FAQ". The Peerage.