The 3rd Earl of Swinton 1939-2021

 _. The 3rd Earl of Swinton, North Yorkshire landowner, died 21 March, 2021. He was 81.

Nicholas John Cunliffe-Lister was born 4 Sept, 1939, the second son of Major the Hon John Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister [1913-43], of the Staffordshire Yeomanry, who died of wounds received in action, 14 April, 1943, and his wife the former Anne Irvine Medlicott [died 28 May, 1961] who married 2ndly, 3 Apr 1944, Donald Phillott-Chapple-Gill, scion of that landed gentry family.

His paternal grandfather, born Philip Lloyd-Greame, 1 May, 1884, a son of Col Yarburgh Lloyd-Greame, of Sewerby House, Bridlington. He was MP for Hendon Dec 1918-Oct 1935, and held the office of President of the Board of Trade 1922-24, and Nov 1924-June 1929, and Aug-Nov 1931; was Secretary of State for the Colonies Nov 1931-June 1935, Secretary of State for Air, June 1935-May 1938; Minister Resident in West Africa 1942-44; Minister for Civil Aviation 1944-45; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for Materials 1951-52; Deputy Leader of the House of Lords; Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations Nov 1952-Apr 1955. He married 5 Sept, 1912, Mary Constance Boynton [died 27 Sept, 1974], daughter of the Rev Charles Boynton, and his wife the former Hon Mary Cunliffe-Lister [died 31 Dec, 1896], daughter of Samuel Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Baron Masham [1815-1906], cr Baron Masham in 1891. Philip Lloyd-Greame assumed by Royal Licence 27 Nov, 1924, the Surname of Cunliffe-Lister on the succession of his wife to the Swinton estates. He was created a peer as Viscount Swinton, 29 Nov, 1935, and further created Baron Masham and Earl of Swinton, 5 May, 1955. He died 27 July, 1972, and was succeeded in his peerages by his grandson, David Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister, 2nd Earl [1937-2006].

The Swinton estate at Masham has been owned by the Cunliffe-Lister family since 1882 when it was purchased by the then Lord Masham, [great-great grandfather of the 3rd Earl] from the Danby family, and comprises Swinton Park, the 32-room castle hotel, Swinton Cookery School, the adjacent Country Club & Spa and Swinton Bivouac, the estate’s tree lodge and glamping retreat. The gardens and extensive grounds with a lake, grottoes and rustice bridges were laid out from about 1796 to 1820 under the direction of Adam Mickle the second for the then owner, Sir William Danby.

Nicholas Cunliffe-Lister married firstly, 19 February, 1966 [divorced] [Elizabeth] Susan Whitelaw [born 1944], now the Hon Dame Susan Cunliffe-Lister, DCVO, Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding 2005-2019, eldest of the four daughter of William Whitelaw, 1st [and last] Viscount Whitelaw, KT, CH, MC, PC [1918-99], and his wife the former Cecilia Sprot [1917-2011], scion of that landed gentry family. Nicholas married 2ndly, in July 1996, Mrs Pamela June Sykes, former wife of [1] Richard Smith, [2] Alistair Brown, and [3] Jeremy John Sykes, scion of the Sykes baronets, of Sledmere, and daughter of Thomas Wood, of Lilling, co York.

He succeeded as 3rd Earl of Swinton and Baron Masham, on the death of his elder brother, the 2nd Earl, 26 March, 2006.

The Earl of Swinton leaves two sons, Mark, and the Hon Simon [born 7 Nov, 1977], and a daughter, Lady Lorna Cunliffe-Lister [born 27 Apr, 1968]. The elder son, Mark William Philip Cunliffe-Lister, styled Baron Masham [born 15 Sept, 1970], now succeeds to his father's peerages. Lord Masham runs the Swinton Park Hotel with his wife, the former Felicity Shadbolt.

The funeral and interment will take place at St Mary's Church, Masham, North Yorkshire.

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