John Lytton, 5th Earl of Lytton
John Peter Michael Scawen Lytton, 5th Earl of Lytton, 18th Baron Wentworth, DL, FRICS (born 7 June 1950), styled Viscount Knebworth between 1951 and 1985, is a British chartered surveyor, peer, and member of the House of Lords.
The Earl of Lytton DL, FRICS | |
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![]() Official parliamentary portrait | |
Member of the House of Lords | |
Assumed office 11 May 2011 | |
Preceded by | Lord Monson |
In office 18 January 1985 – 11 November 1999 Hereditary Peerage | |
Preceded by | The 4th Earl of Lytton |
Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | John Peter Michael Scawen Lytton 7 June 1950 |
Spouse(s) | Ursula Alexandra Komoly ( m. after 1980) |
Parents | Noel Lytton, 4th Earl of Lytton Clarissa Mary Palmer |
Residence | Knebworth House |
Education | Downside School |
Alma mater | University of Reading |
Background and education
Lytton is the son of Noel Lytton, 4th Earl of Lytton and the former Clarissa Mary Palmer.[1]
He is a descendant of the poet and adventurer Lord Byron (born 1788) via his daughter Ada Lovelace (born 1815), who was arguably the world's first computer programmer. Her daughter Anne (born 1837) married the poet Wilfrid Scawen Blunt; their daughter Judith Blunt-Lytton was Noel's mother and thus John's grandmother.
He was educated at Downside School and graduated from the University of Reading with a BSc honours degree in Estate Management, in 1972. He is in addition a descendant of Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
Career
After spending thirteen years in the Inland Revenue Valuation Office and some additional years with surveying firms Permutt Brown & Co and Cubitt & West, he set up the practice of John Lytton & Co., Chartered Surveyors, in January, 1988.[2] He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1985. He lost his seat in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999. However, on 11 May 2011 he won a hereditary peer by-election and regained his seat there, where he sits as a crossbencher (i.e. not a member of a political party).[3]
Lord Lytton has taken his Byronic descent to heart and has contributed to the Newstead Byron Society Review.[4] He has also spoken before the Byron Society on his family history.
Furthermore, he now works part-time in the construction industry and is patron to the Chartered Association of Building Engineers. [5]
Family
On 7 June 1980, Lord Lytton was married to Ursula Alexandra Komoly, a daughter of Anton Komoloy of Vienna, Austria. They have three children:[1]
- Lady Katrina Mary Noel Lytton (b. 1985)[1]
- Philip Anthony Scawen Lytton, Viscount Knebworth (b. 1989)[1]
- Hon. Wilfrid Thomas Scawen Lytton (b. 1992).[1]
He inherited Newbuildings Place in 1984 from his aunt, Lady Anne Lytton.[6] His cousins maintain the family estate, Knebworth House. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for West Sussex.[1]
References
- "Lytton, Earl of (UK, 1880)". www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- lytton.co.uk Archived 31 August 2005 at the Wayback Machine
- www.parliament.uk
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2006. Retrieved 18 June 2006.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- british-history.ac.uk
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Lytton
- The Earl of Lytton at UK Parliament
- The Official Earl of Lytton Website: The Lytton Family Archives
- Knebworth House website
- The International Byron Society
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Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by Noel Anthony Scawen Lytton-Milbanke |
Earl of Lytton 1985–present |
Incumbent |
Peerage of England | ||
Preceded by Noel Anthony Scawen Lytton-Milbanke |
Baron Wentworth 1985–present |
Incumbent |