Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury

Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury
Born	Template:Birth date Eaton Place, Belgravia, London, England
Died	May 7, 1921(1921-05-07) (aged 60)
Occupation(s)	Nobleman, automotive entrepreneur, military officer
Years active	1880s–1921
Known for	Founder of Clément-Talbot Limited; pioneer in road transport ventures; Lord High Steward of Ireland; High Steward of Stafford

Major Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury, 20th Earl of Waterford, 5th Earl Talbot, KCVO (13 November 1860 – 7 May 1921), known as Viscount Ingestre between 1868 and 1877, was a British nobleman who founded several ventures in the road transport sector, experiencing varied commercial outcomes.

Family background

Shrewsbury was born at Eaton Place in Belgravia, London, as the sole son and heir of Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury and 4th Earl Talbot. His grandfather, the 18th Earl, established the precedence of these prestigious earldoms by tracing descent from the 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford. He was related to influential aristocrats including his aunts Constance (wife to The 8th Marquess of Lothian), Gertrude (spouse of The 13th Earl of Pembroke), and Adelaide (married to The 3rd Earl Brownlow), connecting him to prominent noble lineages with considerable social influence.

Inheritance

Upon the death of his affluent father when he was sixteen years old, all family estates and wealth were bequeathed to his mother, Anna Theresa Cockerell, who survived until 1912.

Education and marriage

Lord Shrewsbury received his education at Eton College and succeeded to his hereditary titles as a teenager. At nineteen, on 21 June 1882, he eloped with Ellen née Palmer-Morewood, previously married to Alfred Edward Miller Mundy of Shipley Hall. Ellen descended from the 7th Baron Byron and had a daughter prior to their union. Their son and heir, Lord Ingestre, was born shortly after their wedding but died before his parents; nevertheless, his descendants included the 21st Earl of Shrewsbury, ancestor of the current titleholder.

Before this marriage, Shrewsbury was romantically involved with actress Lily Langtry, with plans reportedly made to elope in 1880; however, the relationship ended following his subsequent marriage.

Public offices and honours

By virtue of his peerage, Lord Shrewsbury held the hereditary office of Lord High Steward of Ireland, took part in the coronations of Kings Edward VII and George V, and accompanied Edward VII during his state visit to Dublin in 1903. He was appointed KCVO in 1907 and had served as High Steward of Stafford since 1892.

Equestrian interests

In 1893, he established a polo club at Ingestre Hall—the Staffordshire Polo Club—officially founded in 1895. Distinguished players included members of the aristocracy and military personnel such as the 8th Earl of Harrington and Captain Robert Greville.

Greyhound coach

Lord Shrewsbury managed the daily Greyhound coach route spanning twenty miles between Buxton Spa and his estate at Alton Towers, now known as a theme park location.

Hansom cabs de luxe

He owned a hansom cab enterprise branded "S.T." (Shrewsbury and Talbot), employing superior horses. Notably, he pioneered fitting hansom cabs with silent tyres in both London and Paris.

At twenty-three years old during the summer of 1884, he initiated this venture in Westminster with a fleet of thirty-five Forder Royal Hansom cabs manufactured by Forder of Wolverhampton—renowned for luxury carriages bearing Royal Warrants. These vehicles incorporated Forder’s patented lightweight framework alongside rubber tyres designed for enhanced passenger comfort and durability. The horses featured hog manes, while each cab displayed a coronet accompanied by the initials "S" and "T." Telephone connections linked stables to enable swift dispatching.

Initially, drivers paid one pound daily for usage of horse and cab but retained their fare earnings. Following disputes over pricing that led to strikes among drivers, Lord Shrewsbury incorporated The Shrewsbury and Talbot Cab and Noiseless Tyre Company Limited in 1888. This company acquired both his cab operations and The Noiseless Tyre Company Limited—manufacturers specializing in steel and rubber tyres based in Manchester and London.

By spring 1891, after repeated labor unrest, he arranged for the sale of three hundred horses housed at Battersea yards under police oversight. Despite intense competition from other rubber-tyred hansom cabs on London streets, all horses were sold. The business resumed operations in October 1891 with drivers employed directly by the company.

Motoring

In November 1900, Lord Shrewsbury founded the Shrewsbury S T and Challiner Tyre Company Limited, focusing on the production and sale of cabs, carriages, motor vehicles, bicycles, tyres, tubes, and related products. By December 1903, he was recognized as the owner of Maison Talbot located on Long Acre in London, which was managed by Mr. Weigel. This period also saw a legal dispute involving Dunlop concerning imported Michelin tyres.

In March 1901, Lord Shrewsbury established British Automobile Commercial Syndicate Limited with investors from areas including Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, Shepherd's Bush, and Hatton Garden. He took the role of chairman, supported by directors such as M. Chabert from Société Commerciale d'Automobiles in Paris and managing director D.M. Weigel. The company operated out of a four-story building at 97-98 Long Acre.

By 1902, Shrewsbury assumed the chairmanship of J. Rothschild and Son Limited to enhance motor car body manufacturing in London, drawing on the expertise of French Clément-Rothschild operations. Maison Talbot occupied the second floor of their premises, providing Talbot tyres fitted by prominent individuals like The Hon. C.S. Rolls; the third floor offered automobile apparel. In March 1909, Shrewsbury declared the closure of this venture to prevent conflicts with his Clément-Talbot dealerships.

Also in 1909, he initiated Homoil Trust Limited alongside industry experts to advance patents for an economical petrol alternative derived from coal-tar. This enterprise was voluntarily dissolved by late 1910.

Talbot motorcars

Lord Shrewsbury established Clément-Talbot Limited in 1902, creating Britain’s first dedicated automotive factory situated in North Kensington, London. His personal crest was prominently displayed above the administrative offices. Collaborating with engineer Adolphe Clément-Bayard, he initially imported well-known French Clément-Bayard automobiles into the UK market.

At Brooklands in November 1912, a Talbot car owned by Lord Shrewsbury and driven by Percy Lambert achieved a remarkable speed of 113.28 miles per hour, despite having only 25.6 horsepower. This performance set multiple class records; only a more powerful Mercedes-Benz with 84.8 horsepower surpassed it.

Military service

Throughout the First World War, the Earl served exclusively within Britain. He held the rank of Major in the Army Remount Service under the Royal Army Service Corps from 1914 to 1915 and later served as a temporary Major with the Royal Welch Fusiliers between 1916 and 1917. His sole son, Viscount Ingestre, who was a reservist with the Royal Horse Guards, succumbed to influenza followed by pneumonia in London during January 1915.

Later life

Lord Shrewsbury passed away in May 1921 at age 60 and was interred at the parish church in Ingestre. A legal dispute over his estate arose between his widow and his grandson John, the 21st Earl of Shrewsbury. The grandson successfully contested the late Earl’s will on grounds of mental incapacity. Ellen, his widow, relocated from the family residence 'Cariad' in Goring-on-Thames to 'Cariad Cottage' nearby and received a monthly allowance of £2,000 until her death.

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20040607043755/http://www.sunbeam.org.uk/Talbot.htm