William Spencer

Background

Northampton was born at Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire, the second son of Admiral William Compton, 4th Marquess of Northampton, and his wife Eliza (née Elliot).

Education

He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated as Bachelor of Arts

Career

He served in the Diplomatic Service as Second Secretary to the British embassies in Paris, Rome and Street St. Petersburg. He then served as Private Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Earl Cowper, between 1880 and 1882, and was elected to the House of Commons for Stratford-on-Avon in December 1885. He held this seat until July the following year and then sat for Barnsley from 1889 to 1897.

In the latter year Northampton succeeded his father in the marquessate and entered the House of Lords.

He was Justice of the Peace for the counties of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. From 1908 he was Honorary Colonel of the London Heavy Brigade of the Royal Garrison Artillery.

He was later Special Envoy to Foreign Courts to announce the accession of King George V in 1910 and served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire from 1912 to 1913. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1908 and was also a Knight of Grace of the Order of Street John of Jerusalem.

Lord William Compton married, in 1884, the Honorary

Mary Florence Baring, daughter and heiress of William Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton. They had three children. Lady Northampton died at Castle Ashby on 1 June 1902, aged 41, following a long illness from progressive paralysis.

Lord Northampton survived her by eleven years and died, suddenly, at Acqui, Piedmont, Italy in June 1913, aged 62.

Achievements

• Northampton, who was a major landowner in Clerkenwell and north London, was elected a founder member of London County Council for Finsbury in 1889, then served as County Alderman from 1892 to 1895.

Membership

23rd United Kingdom Parliament. 24th United Kingdom Parliament. 25th United Kingdom Parliament.

26th United Kingdom Parliament.