Book Description

Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the seventh Marquess of Londonderry has long been a divisive figure in British aristocratic history. Was he an anti-Semitic Nazi sympathizer, as some have argued, or a visionary who should be remembered in glory for his role in the creation of RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes during World War II? In the paperback edition of Lord Londonderry, N.C Fleming answers this question and more. This updated edition draws extensively from private Londonderry family papers and state papers, as well as existing secondary literature, to provide an illuminating biography of Londonderry. This book has been updated with additional primary source research to reveal details about Londonderry House, Londonderry's travels and his radical right-wing beliefs as well as his infamous anti-Semitism. Lord Londonderry examines his disastrous diplomatic visits during the war, which seriously damaged his credibility at home, alongside his achievements in the Royal Air force to provide a comprehensive biography of the Marquess. Fleming also studies the tumultuous period of aristocratic decline set against a backdrop of growing calls for social equality, to show how this Conservative MP held onto his power in the changing social climate of post-war Britain. Here, Fleming has revised and updated his biography of Lord Londonderry to remove the shadow that Londonderry's association with Nazi Germany has cast over his career. In doing so, he provides an analysis of private family papers while also providing an extensive case study into the historiography of aristocracy.