Alfred William Maitland FitzRoy, 8th Duke of Grafton DL (3 March 1850 – 10 January 1930), styled Lord Alfred FitzRoy between 1882 and 1912 and Earl of Euston between 1912 and 1918, was a British peer and soldier.
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Early life
He was the second son of Augustus FitzRoy, 7th Duke of Grafton, and his wife Anna Balfour, daughter of James Francis Balfour (1785–1845) and aunt of Arthur Balfour. His elder brother and heir to the dukedom Henry James FitzRoy, Earl of Euston died in 1912, before their father's death.
Career
Upon the death of his father, he succeeded as the 8th Duke of Grafton in 1918.
On 15 March 1920, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk.
Personal life
On 27 April 1875 he married Margaret Rose Smith (1855–1913). Before her death in 1913, they were the parents of three children:
Lady Lillian Rose FitzRoy (1876–1960), who married Charles Robertson.
Lady Mary Margaret FitzRoy (1877–1966), who died unmarried.
William Henry Alfred FitzRoy, Viscount Ipswich (1884–1918), who married Auriol Brougham; he fought in World War I and was killed in an airplane accident on 23 April 1918.
The Duke remarried on 8 January 1916 to Lady Borthwick (née Susanna Mary MacTaggart-Stewart) (1878–1961), widow of Archibald Patrick Thomas Borthwick, 20th Lord Borthwick and daughter of Sir Mark McTaggart-Stewart, 1st Baronet. Together, they had two daughters:
Lady Elfrida Marie Susanna FitzRoy (1919–1920), who died in infancy.
Lady Cecilia Blanche Genevieve FitzRoy (1922–1974), who married the life peer Lord Howard of Henderskelfe and had issue.
The Duke died in 1930 and was succeeded by his grandson, John, Viscount Ipswich.
Residences
Alfred's father had leased a London house at No. 6 Chesterfield Gardens since 1902, and following his accession to the Dukedom in 1918 Alfred continued to maintain a London residence at 6 Chesterfield Gardens until his death in January 1930.
His widowed second wife Susanna, Duchess of Grafton (step-grandmother of the 9th Duke) and their daughter Lady Cecilia FitzRoy occupied No. 18 Prince’s Gate, which continued to be the Dowager Duchess’ London home until her death in 1961. 18 Prince’s Gate continued to be the home of Lady Cecilia, who sold the house in 1965.
Descendants
Through his eldest son William, he was a grandfather of John FitzRoy, 9th Duke of Grafton, Lady Margaret Jane FitzRoy (who married Maj. Gen. Sir John Nelson), and Lady Mary-Rose FitzRoy.