John James Dudley Stuart Townshend, 6th Marquess TownshendDL (17 October 1866 – 17 November 1921), known as Viscount Raynham from 1866 to 1899, was a British peer.
Upon the death of his father in 1899, he succeeded as the 11th Baronet Townshend of Rainham, the 9th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis, the 6th Marquess Townshend of Raynham, and the 9th Viscount Townshend of Raynham.[1]
Gwladys, Marchioness of Townshend, from a 1908 publication.
Heavily in debt, Townshend was forced to sell many of the family's valuables, including nearly 200 masterpieces, including works by Thomas Gainsborough, Peter Paul Rubens, and Anthony van Dyck.[2] He leased the family estate Raynham Hall, before traveling to America to find a rich wife. Lord Townshend became engaged to a Mrs. Evelyn Sheffield of Jacksonville, Florida, but broke off the engagement "when he discovered she was not as rich as she had implied."[3] After he returned to England, he was introduced to Thomas Sutherst, a barrister who agreed to pay off his debts if he married his daughter. Lord Townshend agreed and on 9 August 1905, he married Gwladys Ethel Gwendolen Eugénie
Sutherst.[4]
Shortly after the wedding, his new father-in-law attempted to have Lord Townshend declared insane. However, "a court found him incapable of managing his own financial affairs, but sane enough to remain at liberty, under the care of his wife."[3] Despite her father's manipulations, reportedly the Marchioness was genuinely devoted to Townshend and worked diligently to restore the family fortunes so her children could be raised at Raynham Hall, although some of the family's land holdings elsewhere were sold.[3] Before his death in 1921, they were the parents of:
Lady Elizabeth Mary Gladys Townshend (1917–1950), who married Sir Eric White, 2nd Baronet. She later married John Clifford Roberts.
Lord Townshend died in November 1921, aged 55, and was succeeded in his titles by his five-year-old son George.[3] Lady Townshend later married Bernard le Strange and died in 1959.[5][6]
