Maidenhead Heritage Centre

f847f5af-72e9-4f3f-925e-e9cd870a0f0f
  • News
  • Donating
  • Jobs & Volunteers
  • Membership
  • Mailing list
  • Contact the centre
  • Home
  • Overview
  • What’s On
    • Events, Exhibitions & Talks
    • Permanent Exhibitions
      • Story of Maidenhead
      • “Grandma Flew Spitfires”
      • Spitfire Simulator Experience
    • Family Activities
    • Hire a Speaker
    • Previous exhibitions
  • Online Exhibitions
    • Littlewick Green
    • Let’s celebrate!
    • Jewel of the Thames
    • Women in Green
    • WW2 Posters
    • Town Centre 1964
    • All the World’s a Stage
    • Memories of D-Day
    • Skindles
  • Schools
    • Homework Help!
    • KS1 & KS2
    • Secondary Schools
    • Group Visits
  • Research
    • Browse and Search
    • Local History
      • Chronology
      • A-Z Hall of Fame
    • Maps
    • Copyright
    • Panoramic Photographs
  • Getting Here
    • Find Us & Parking
    • Opening Times
    • Accessibility
    • Admission Charges
    • Families
    • School & Group Visits
  • Online Shop
  • Air Transport Auxiliary
    • About the ATA [atamuseum.org]
    • “Grandma Flew Spitfires”
    • ATA News [atamuseum.org]
    • Gallery
    • Stories & Diaries [atamuseum.org]
    • Research Services

Lord Desborough

WILLIAM HENRY GRENFELL, LORD DESBOROUGH
1856 – 1945

A generous benefactor for Maidenhead, and a tireless contributor to public life.

The Grenfell family came from Cornwall in the 18th Century and bought Taplow Court, which was originally part of the Cliveden Estate. They also bought many of the ancient manors around Maidenhead, including Ockwells, St Ives, Shoppenhangers, Kimbers, Lowbrooks, Cresswells, Philberts and Foxleys, as well as many minor properties.

William Henry Grenfell was an MP from 1880 to 1905, first for the Liberal Party, then for the Conservatives, before being raised to the House of Lords in 1905 and becoming Lord Desborough.

He married Ethel Fane and they had 5 children. Their three sons died young – Julian and Gerald in the First World War, and Ivo in a motorcycle accident in 1926. Their daughter Monica married Sir John Salmond, Marshall of the RAF, and their other daughter Imogen married Viscount Gage, High Steward of Maidenhead.

William was a writer and war correspondent, and also a dedicated sportsman – he twice rowed for Oxford in the Boat Race, including in the ‘dead heat’ race of 1877. He climbed the Matterhorn three times, and was President of the MCC and the Lawn Tennis Association. He was heavily involved in organising the 1908 London Olympics, being the President of the organising committee.

In 1928, William became a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

William was heavily involved in public life. He was President of the Thames Conservancy Board for over thirty years, and also of the London Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Agricultural Society. He served as High Steward of Maidenhead, and when offered the post of Governor of Canada he turned it down, preferring to stay in England. He was appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1889.

William served as High Steward of Maidenhead, and he was a generous benefactor of the town and the many places named after him in Maidenhead – including Grenfell Park (which contains many unusual trees, the seeds of which were collected by Lord Desborough as he travelled the world), Desborough Park and Grenfell Road – are testimony to this. The Grenfell Estate was wound up in 1952.

 

FIND MOURE MORE –

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Grenfell

http://www.grenfellhistory.co.uk/biographies/william_henry_grenfell.php

 

Donate

Recent Posts

  • Open for fun this week
  • Spitfire Simulator flights available this week
  • Christmas and New Year opening times
  • Middle-earth comes to Bray
  • Boundary Walk 2020

Archives

  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • October 2019
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2014
  • February 2014

Supported by

RBWM logo Adverstiser Charitable Trust logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo Accredited Museum logo


Colemans logo


Tsohost.CharityHosting.MPU

TSE 2018 logo 

Facebook icon Twitter icon TripAdvisor logo Great West Way logo
Site map | Contact us | Privacy Policy | Tel: 01628 780555 Email:info@maidenheadheritage.org.uk
Copyright © 2022 Maidenhead Heritage Centre, 18 Park Street, Maidenhead, SL6 1SL
Charity number: 1045746