Feudal Lordship of Winterborne Saint Martin

Edward, Price of Wales at Crichel - 1894

Back Row: John Porter, Lord Coke, Earl of Warwick, Duke of Devonshire, Mr Ellis, Lord Alington,
Hon H Sturt M.P., Montague Guest, Geneal Ellis.
Front Row: Lady Coke, Countess of Warwick, H.R.H. Prince of Wales, Lady Alington, Mrs Drummond
Other House Guests at Crichel

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Montague Guest

Montague Guest was the brother of Lord Wimborne of Canford. He was a staunch Liberal and known as ‘the handsomest man in England’. He stood for Wareham in the General Election of 1880 against the Tory, John Samuel Wanley Sawbridge Drax. He was certainly more popular than Drax, who was so sure that he would be roughly treated in Corfe Castle that he asked Mr Bond of Creech to speak for him there.

In spite of all his gifts of venison and free beer, Drax was booed on the hustings. The pubs were open all day and windows were broken regularly. Dirty tricks were frequent and the Tories arranged for a party of Liberals to be hi-jacked and marooned on Horse Island in Poole Harbour. They were rescued just in time to vote by some passing fishermen after they had declared their political allegiance.

Mr. Guest won by 35 votes and after 250 years of service, the Drax family had been rejected.

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Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire

1891
Spencer Compton Cavendish became 8th Duke of Devonshire. Married Louise, widow of the Duke of Manchester, 'The Double Duchess'.

The Most Noble Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (23 July 1833 – 24 March 1908) was a British Liberal statesman, previously known (1858-1891) as Marquess of Hartington

Cavendish was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and entered Parliament in 1857. Between 1863 and 1874 he held various Government posts, including lord of the Admiralty, under-secretary for war, postmaster-general, and chief secretary for Ireland. In 1875 he became Leader of the Liberal opposition, and in 1880, after the fall of Benjamin Disraeli's government, he was invited to form a government, but chose instead to serve under William Ewart Gladstone as Secretary of State for India (1880–1882) and Secretary of State for War (1882–1885). In 1886 he broke with Gladstone over Irish Home Rule, and became the leader of the Liberal Unionists. Queen Victoria asked him twice more in 1886–1887 to form a government, but again he declined, giving support from the back benches to the Conservative government of Lord Salisbury.

Having succeeded as Duke of Devonshire in 1891 and entered the House of Lords, he eventually joined Salisbury's government in 1895 as Lord President of the Council. He resigned from the government in 1903, and from the Liberal Unionist Association the following spring, in protest at Joseph Chamberlain's Tariff Reform scheme.

He was married in 1892, at the age of 59, to Louisa Frederica Augusta von Alten, widow of the late William Drogo Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his nephew.

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Lord Alington was MP for Dorchester and was dubbed by Disraeli as 'the Champagne of the House' due to his wit and geniality. He sat in Parliament in the Conservative interest for thirty years and died in 1904

In partnership with Sir Frederic Johnstone, Lord Alington won a number of races on the Turf, including in 1883 the Derby with St Blaise.

Lord Alington (who was raised to the peerage in 1876) was a Jockey Club member for over 50 years. He prefered to race in a partnership (known at the time as a federacy), and while his horses were at the Days' at Danebury he joined forces with Sir Frederic Johnstone. Although they usually only had seven or eight mares at a time, their partnership - known as 'The Old Firm - was highly successful. In 1881 they transferred their horses to John Porter at Kingsclere.

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John Porter
John Porter was probably the most succesful trainer of Victorian times. He trained the winners of 23 Classics, including 3 Triple Crown winners and a total of 7 Derbys. He was also founder and managing director of Newbury Racecourse.

He was born in Staffordshire and apprenticed to John Barham Day at Michael Grove in Sussex, weighing only 4st 10. His riding career was short and by the time William Goater took over the stable, now at Findon, Porter was head lad. He was then appointed as Sir Joseph Hawley's trainer at the Cannons Heath stable, with John Wells as stable jockey, quickly establishing the pair as a leading force in racing. Sir Joseph built the famous new stables at Kingsclere and when he died John Porter was able to buy them, later greatly enlarging them at considerable expense. He attracted prestigious owners, including in 1881 Lord Alington and the 1st Duke of Westminster and in 1886 the Prince of Wales. He retired in 1905.

Other noted House Guests

Lady Ranolph Churchill

Lord Ranolph Churchill

The Honorable Mrs George Kepple

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Hon. Alice Emily White (1855 - 1936). She was the daughter of Sir Luke White, 2nd Baron Annaly of Annaly and Rathcline and Emily Stuart. She married Thomas William Coke, 3rd Earl of Leicester, son of Thomas William Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester and Juliana Whitbread, on 26 August 1879. She died on 24 April 1936.