Marquess and Marchioness of Hastings

Henry Weysford Charles Plantagenet Rawdon-Hastings (1842-1868), succeeded as the 4th Marquess of Hastings in 1851 when his older brother died aged only 18.

He married Lady Florence Cecilia Paget (1842-1907), daughter of Sir Henry Paget, 2nd Marquess of Anglesey and Henrietta Maria Bagot, on 16 July 1864. He died on 10 November 1868 at the age of 26, without issue.

According to the report of his death in the Times (11 November 1868): ‘We have to record the death of a youthful nobleman of high rank and extensive property, of whom it may unfortunately be said with some truth that he was his own worst enemy. His connexion with the turf was disastrous in its results; his health, which never was very strong, broke fairly down during the last few months; and his premature decease, which has for some days been expected, occurred early yesterday morning.’ A long article the following day detailed his gambling losses under the heading ‘The Turf Career of Lord Hastings.'

In 1870 the Dowager Marchioness Hastings married, secondly, Sir George Chetwynd, 4th Bt. She died on 3 February 1907.

Photographed by Lambert Weston and Son of Dover and Folkestone.