Biography of John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough 1897-1972

On 6th November 1895 [his father] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 23) and [his mother] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 18) were married at St Thomas' Church New York. She by marriage Duchess Marlborough. The marriage arranged by Mary "Minnie" Fiske Stevens (age 42) and encouraged by mother [his grandmother] Alva Erskine Smith (age 42). The marriage was unhappy; they separated in 1906 and the marriage was annulled on 19th Augiust 1926. He the son of [his grandfather] George Charles Spencer-Churchill 8th Duke of Marlborough and [his grandmother] Albertha Frances Anne Hamilton Duchess of Marlborough (age 48).

The marriage settlement provided for the Duke to receive a $2,500,000 trust that would pay $100,000 per year. Consuelo also received a further $100,000 per year. The combined annual income of $200,000 (£40,000) more than doubled the income the Duke had enjoyed from his estates prior to the marriage. Consuelo and the Duke also acquired several large gifts from her father, William K. Vanderbilt, including a palatial London townhouse and a reported sum of $1,000,000 in cash to mark the Duke's safe return from South Africa.

On 18th September 1897 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough was born to Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 25) and Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 20).

On 16th October 1897 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough was baptised at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace.

1905. John Singer Sargent (age 48). Portrait of the Spencer-Churchill family including [his father] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 33), [his mother] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 27), John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 7) and [his brother] Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill (age 6).

Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill: On 14th October 1898 he was born to Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough and Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough. The Duke's secondd wife Gladys Deacon apparently later implied that Ivor's father was Winthrop Rutherford; source unknown. On 17th September 1956 Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill died. He was buried at St Martin's Church, Bladon [Map].

In 1909 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 11) commenced his education at Eton College [Map] after which he entered Christ Church College, Oxford University.

In 1914 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 16) gained the rank of Lieutenant in the 1st Life Guards. He fought in the First World War between 1914 and 1918.

On 17th February 1920 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 22) and Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 19) were married at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. He the son of Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 48) and Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 42).

In 1921 [his father] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 49) and [his mother] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 43) were divorced.

In 1921 [his father] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 49) and [his step-mother] Gladys Marie Deacon Duchess of Marlborough (age 39) were married; she had previoiusly been his mistress. She by marriage Duchess Marlborough. He the son of [his grandfather] George Charles Spencer-Churchill 8th Duke of Marlborough and [his grandmother] Albertha Frances Anne Hamilton Duchess of Marlborough (age 74).

On 4th July 1921 [his step-father] Jacques Balsan (age 52) and [his mother] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 44) were married.

On 12th November 1923 [his daughter] Caroline Spencer-Churchill was born to John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 26) and [his wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 23).

On 13th April 1926 [his son] John Spencer-Churchill 11th Duke of Marlborough was born to John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 28) and [his wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 26).

On 14th November 1933 Walter Francis David Long (age 22) and [his future wife] Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 18) were married at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map].

On 30th June 1934 [his father] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 62) died. His son John (age 36) succeeded 10th Duke Marlborough, 10th Marquess of Blandford, 10th Earl of Marlborough, 10th Baron Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire, 12th Earl of Sunderland, 14th Baron Spencer Wormleighton. [his wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 34) by marriage Duchess Marlborough.

On 23rd February 1943 William Humble Eric Ward 3rd Earl of Dudley (age 49) and [his future wife] Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 27) were married. She by marriage Countess of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley.

On 5th December 1946 [his son-in-law] Major Charles Huguenot Waterhouse (age 28) and [his daughter] Caroline Spencer-Churchill (age 23) were married. She the daughter of John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 49) and [his wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 46).

On 19th October 1951 [his son] John Spencer-Churchill 11th Duke of Marlborough (age 25) and [his daughter-in-law] Susan Mary Hornby (age 22) were married. He the son of John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 54) and [his wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 51).

On 13th June 1960 Michael Temple Canfield (age 33) and [his future wife] Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 44) were married. He the illegitmate son of Prince George Windsor 1st Duke Kent and Alice "Kiki" Preston aka Gwynne.

In 1961 [his son] John Spencer-Churchill 11th Duke of Marlborough (age 34) and [his daughter-in-law] Susan Mary Hornby (age 32) were divorced.

On 23rd May 1961 [his wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 61) died.

On 6th December 1964 [his mother] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 87) died at Southampton, Long Island, probably at her home Cara-Mia, Southampton. She was buried at St Martin's Church, Bladon [Map] next to the grave of her son [his brother] Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill who had died in 1956.

On 26th January 1972 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 74) and Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 56) were married. She by marriage Duchess Marlborough. He the son of Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough and Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough.

On 11th March 1972 John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 74) died. He was buried at St Martin's Church, Bladon [Map] next to the grave of his first wife [his former wife] Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough who died in 1961. His son [his son] John (age 45) succeeded 11th Duke Marlborough, 11th Marquess of Blandford, 11th Earl of Marlborough, 11th Baron Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire, 13th Earl of Sunderland, 15th Baron Spencer Wormleighton.

On 19th February 1990 [his former wife] Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 74) died at Portland Towers Marylebone.