Marmaduke Furness

Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness and 2nd Baron Furness (29 October 1883 – 6 October 1940), was a British shipping magnate.

Background

Furness was the son of Christopher Furness, 1st Baron Furness and Jane Annette Suggit. He served as Chairman of Furness Withy, the shipbuilding firm, and was also involved in the steel and iron business. He succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Furness in 1912, and in 1918 he was created Viscount Furness, of Grantley in the West Riding of the County of Yorkshire.

Marriages and relationships

Lord Furness was married three time. His wives were:

• Ada "Daisy" Hogg, daughter of an English businessman, G. J. H. Hogg of Seaton Carew. She was heavily involved in the Red Cross during World War I. She died on 28 February 1921, aboard the Furnesses' yacht 'Sapphire' off the coast of Portugal, while recovering from an operation and was buried at sea. She and Lord Furness had two children:

• Hon. Averill Furness (22 July 1908-1936); she married, in 1932, Andrew Rattray, 1882–1933
• Hon. Christopher Furness, VC (1911–1940)

• Thelma Morgan Converse, the former Mrs James Vail Converse and a daughter of Harry Hays Morgan Sr, an American diplomat. Married in 1926, they divorced in 1933 as a result of Lady Furness's affairs with Aly Khan and Edward Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII). The Furnesses had one son:

• William Anthony Furness, 2nd Viscount Furness, aka Tony (1929–1995)

• Enid Cavendish (née Lindeman), the Australia-born widow of Brig. Gen. Frederick Cavendish; she was also the widow of Roderick Cameron. She and Lord Furness were married in 1933. By this marriage he had three stepchildren:

• Roderick "Rory" William Cameron (1914-1985)
• Patricia Enid Cavendish (born 30 Jun 1925)
• Frederick Caryll Philip Cavendish, 7th Baron Waterpark (born 6 Oct 1926)

In June 1921, Lord Furness was engaged to Julie Thompson (née Julie Francis Eleanor Phillips, died 15 April 1967), an American socialite and former wife of stockbroker George Lee Thompson. She had previously turned down offers of marriage by other nobles including Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia and his cousin Grand Duke Alexander Michaelovitch. The engagement was broken off.

Death

Lord Furness died on 6 October 1940, aged 56. He was succeeded by his younger and only surviving son, Tony, as second viscount.