Sir George Reresby Sitwell, 4th Baronet (27 January 1860 – 9 July 1943) was a British antiquarian writer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1895.
Sitwell was born in London, the son of Sir Sitwell Reresby Sitwell, 3rd Baronet and his wife Louisa Lucy Hutchinson, daughter of the Hon. Henry Hely Hutchinson. His father died in 1862 and he succeeded to the baronetcy at the age of two. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He was a lieutenant in the West Yorkshire Yeoman Cavalry.[1]
Sitwell contested Scarborough seven times, losing twice in 1884. He was elected Member of Parliament for the constituency at the 1885 general election, but lost it at the 1886 general election. After regaining the seat in the 1892 general election, he lost it again in the 1895 general election.[2]
A keen antiquarian, Sitwell worked on the Sacheverell papers, and wrote a biography of his ancestor, William Sacheverell and published The Letters of the Sitwells and Sacheverells. His collection of books and papers is said to have filled seven sitting-rooms at the family house, Renishaw Hall, in Derbyshire. He researched genealogy and heraldry, and was a keen designer of gardens (he studied garden design in Italy).[3]
In 1909 he purchased the Castello di Montegufoni, near Florence, then a wreck inhabited by three hundred peasants.[4] Over the next three decades he restored it to its original design, commissioned the Italian painter Gino Severini to paint the murals,[5] and took up permanent residence there in 1925, writing to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to explain that taxes had forced him to settle in Italy.[4]
He remained in Italy at the outbreak of war, but in 1942 moved to Switzerland and died at Locarno at the age of 83. He held his baronetcy for 81 years 89 days, longer than all his three predecessors, and one of the longest times anyone has held a baronetcy in England.
Sitwell married, in 1886, Ida Emily Augusta Denison, daughter of William Henry Forester Denison (later 1st Earl of Londesborough). In 1915 he refused to pay off her many creditors, and saw her prosecuted and imprisoned at Holloway for three months. She died in 1937. He was succeeded by his elder son Osbert, who described him vividly in his five-volume autobiography. Sir George's other two children were the writers Edith and Sacheverell Sitwell.[4]
Sitwell was known for his eccentric behaviour.[6] He banned electricity in his household well into the 1940s and made his guests use candles.[6] He deliberately mislabelled his self-medication to stop anyone else using it. Sitwell lived on an exclusive diet of roasted chicken.[6]
Cultural depictionsedit
John Gielgud portrayed George Sitwell in Tales My Father Taught Me, a 1990 radio adaptation of Osbert Sitwell's various memoirs, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1990 and in January 2023 on BBC Radio 4 Extra.[7]
Referencesedit
^Debretts Guide to the House of Commons (1886) p. 139
^Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir George Sitwell
^Eccentric patriarch with slender grip on reality, Tim Harris, The Age, January 2003, accessed March 2010
^ abcPearson, John. Facades, Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell Sitwell (1978)
^Severini, Gino (1995). The Life of a Painter. Princeton University Press. pp. 250–260.
^ abcShaw, Karl. (2009). Curing Hiccups with Small Fires: A Delightful Miscellany of Great British Eccentrics. Pan MacMillan. p. 193. ISBN978-0-752-22703-0
^"BBC Radio 4 Extra - Peter Terson - Tales My Father Taught Me". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
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This article is about Sir George R Sitwell the 4th Baronet writer and MP For his ancestor the ironmaster see George Sitwell ironmaster For his descendant the present Baronet see George Reresby Sacheverell Sitwell Sir George Reresby Sitwell 4th Baronet 27 January 1860 9 July 1943 was a British antiquarian writer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1895 Sir George Reresby Sitwell BtJohn Singer Sargent The Sitwell Family 1900 From left Edith Sitwell 1887 1964 Sir George Sitwell Lady Ida Sacheverell Sitwell 1897 1988 and Osbert Sitwell 1892 1969 Private CollectionBornGeorge Reresby Sitwell 1860 01 27 27 January 1860London EnglandDied9 July 1943 1943 07 09 aged 83 Locarno SwitzerlandOccupationWriter politicianSpouseLady Ida Denison m 1886 died 1937 wbr ChildrenEdith SitwellOsbert SitwellSacheverell Sitwell Contents 1 Biography 2 Cultural depictions 3 References 4 External linksBiography editSitwell was born in London the son of Sir Sitwell Reresby Sitwell 3rd Baronet and his wife Louisa Lucy Hutchinson daughter of the Hon Henry Hely Hutchinson His father died in 1862 and he succeeded to the baronetcy at the age of two He was educated at Eton and Christ Church Oxford He was a lieutenant in the West Yorkshire Yeoman Cavalry 1 Sitwell contested Scarborough seven times losing twice in 1884 He was elected Member of Parliament for the constituency at the 1885 general election but lost it at the 1886 general election After regaining the seat in the 1892 general election he lost it again in the 1895 general election 2 A keen antiquarian Sitwell worked on the Sacheverell papers and wrote a biography of his ancestor William Sacheverell and published The Letters of the Sitwells and Sacheverells His collection of books and papers is said to have filled seven sitting rooms at the family house Renishaw Hall in Derbyshire He researched genealogy and heraldry and was a keen designer of gardens he studied garden design in Italy 3 In 1909 he purchased the Castello di Montegufoni near Florence then a wreck inhabited by three hundred peasants 4 Over the next three decades he restored it to its original design commissioned the Italian painter Gino Severini to paint the murals 5 and took up permanent residence there in 1925 writing to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to explain that taxes had forced him to settle in Italy 4 He remained in Italy at the outbreak of war but in 1942 moved to Switzerland and died at Locarno at the age of 83 He held his baronetcy for 81 years 89 days longer than all his three predecessors and one of the longest times anyone has held a baronetcy in England Sitwell married in 1886 Ida Emily Augusta Denison daughter of William Henry Forester Denison later 1st Earl of Londesborough In 1915 he refused to pay off her many creditors and saw her prosecuted and imprisoned at Holloway for three months She died in 1937 He was succeeded by his elder son Osbert who described him vividly in his five volume autobiography Sir George s other two children were the writers Edith and Sacheverell Sitwell 4 Sitwell was known for his eccentric behaviour 6 He banned electricity in his household well into the 1940s and made his guests use candles 6 He deliberately mislabelled his self medication to stop anyone else using it Sitwell lived on an exclusive diet of roasted chicken 6 Cultural depictions editJohn Gielgud portrayed George Sitwell in Tales My Father Taught Me a 1990 radio adaptation of Osbert Sitwell s various memoirs broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1990 and in January 2023 on BBC Radio 4 Extra 7 References editLeigh Rayment s list of baronets Debretts Guide to the House of Commons 1886 p 139 Hansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Sir George Sitwell Eccentric patriarch with slender grip on reality Tim Harris The Age January 2003 accessed March 2010 a b c Pearson John Facades Edith Osbert and Sacheverell Sitwell 1978 Severini Gino 1995 The Life of a Painter Princeton University Press pp 250 260 a b c Shaw Karl 2009 Curing Hiccups with Small Fires A Delightful Miscellany of Great British Eccentrics Pan MacMillan p 193 ISBN 978 0 752 22703 0 BBC Radio 4 Extra Peter Terson Tales My Father Taught Me BBC Retrieved 31 January 2023 External links editWorks by or about George Sitwell at Internet Archive Hansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by George Sitwell Renishaw Hall History of the SitwellsParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byRichard Steble and William Sproston Caine Member of Parliament for Scarborough1885 1886 Succeeded byJoshua RowntreePreceded byJoshua Rowntree Member of Parliament for Scarborough1892 1895 Succeeded byJoseph Compton RickettBaronetage of the United KingdomPreceded bySitwell Sitwell Baronet of Renishaw Derbyshire 1862 1943 Succeeded byOsbert Sitwell Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Sitwell amp oldid 1187477510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
