Marcus Worsley

Sir William Marcus John Worsley, 5th Baronet, DL, JP (6 April 1925 – 18 December 2012) was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as a Member of Parliament in four parliaments between 1959 and 1974, and served as High Sheriff and Lord Lieutenant for North Yorkshire.

Sir Marcus Worsley

Bt DL JP
Born
William Marcus John Worsley

6 April 1925
Died18 December 2012(2012-12-18) (aged 87)
TitleBaronet
Term4 December 1973 – 18 December 2012
Spouse(s)Bridget née Assheton
ChildrenSir William Ralph Worsley
Sarah Marianne Worsley
Giles Arthington Worsley
Peter Marcus Worsley
Parent(s)William Worsley
Joyce Morgan Brunner

Biography

Worsley was born in the family home of Hovingham Hall, near Malton, North Yorkshire,[1] the eldest son of Colonel Sir William Worsley, 4th Baronet and Joyce Morgan Brunner. He was the eldest brother of Katharine, Duchess of Kent. He was educated at Eton. After conscripted service in the Green Howards, which included a secondment to the Royal West African Frontier Force,[2] he graduated as MA from New College, Oxford in 1949.[2][3][4]

Worsley was a Councillor on Malton Rural District Council from 1955, serving as vice-chairman in 1965.

He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 1955 election for the marginal constituency of Keighley in West Yorkshire. However, at the 1959 election he defeated the sitting Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Hobson, taking the seat with a majority of only 170.[5] At the 1964 general election, he lost his Keighley seat to Labour's John Binns, but for the 1966 election he was selected as candidate for the safe Conservative seat of Chelsea in west London. He held that seat for three Parliaments, before retiring at the October 1974 general election.[3] He served as the Second Church Estates Commissioner, the church of England's link to the House of Commons, from 1970 to 1974.[6]

In 1973, when he inherited the title and estate, he moved back into Hovingham Hall and managed the 3,000-acre (12 km2) estate. In 1982 he was appointed High Sheriff of North Yorkshire.[7]

In 1978 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for North Yorkshire, serving as Lord Lieutenant from 1987 to 1999. He also served the county as High Sheriff from 1982 to 1983.[3] He was appointed a Knight of Justice of the Order of Saint John in 1987.[8]

Worsley died on 18 December 2012 at Hovingham Hall[1][3] and was buried in Hovingham cemetery.[9] His eldest son William succeeded to the baronetcy.

Marriage and children

In 1955 he married Hon Bridget Assheton (born 20 August 1926, died 22 May 2004), daughter of Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe and Hon Sylvia Benita Frances Hotham.[10] They had four children together:[11][12]

References
  1. "Tributes paid to Sir Marcus Worsley". The Press. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  2. Cathcart, Helen (1971). The Duchess of Kent (First ed.). London: W.H. Allen. p. 69. OCLC 789480.
  3. "Obituary: Sir Marcus Worsley, Bt". The Daily Telegraph. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  4. "Worsley, Sir (William) Marcus (John)". Who's Who. Oxford University Press. November 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  5. http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge59/i12.htm
  6. "WORSLEY, Sir (William) Marcus (John)". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. April 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  7. "High Sheriffs Appointed by Her Majesty in council for the year 1982" (PDF). London Gazette. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  8. "No. 50990". The London Gazette. 9 July 1987. p. 8765.
  9. York Press, 31 December 2012, report of funeral
  10. "Obituary: Lady Worsley". The Daily Telegraph. 8 June 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  11. The Descendants of William The Conqueror website, by Alan Freer, page Clarence 23
  12. The Peerage, entry for Sir Marcus Worsley Bt
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Charles Hobson		 Member of Parliament for Keighley
1959–1964		 Succeeded by
John Binns
Preceded by
John Litchfield		 Member of Parliament for Chelsea
1966 – October 1974		 Succeeded by
Nicholas Scott
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Marquess of Normanby		 Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
1987–1999		 Succeeded by
The Lord Crathorne
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
William Arthington Worsley		 Baronet
(of Hovingham Hall) 
1973––2012		 Succeeded by
William Ralph Worsley
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