Albert Kitson, 2nd Baron Airedale

Albert Ernest Kitson, 2nd Baron Airedale (7 October 1863 – 11 March 1944) was a British peer. He was inter alia a director of Midlands Bank, now HSBC.

Background

Kitson was the son of James Kitson, 1st Baron Airedale, an iron and steel manufacturer in Leeds. He was educated at Rugby and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a BA, before following his father into the family business.^[1]

Marriage and wife's family background

On 23 January 1890 at the Unitarian Mill Hill Chapel, Leeds, Kitson married Florence von Schunck (1868–1942), daughter of Edward, Baron von Schunck (1816–1889) and Kate Lupton (1832–1913).

As reported in The Yorkshire Post, wedding guests included Herbert Gladstone, son of Prime Minister William Gladstone.^[2]

Kate was the daughter of Darnton Lupton of Potternewton Hall.^[3] He was Mayor of Leeds in 1844/45.^[4] Kate's first cousin, politician Francis Martineau Lupton, and his wife were guests at the wedding. Francis Martineau Lupton was the great great grandfather of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.^[2][5] British Pathé newsfilm shows the brothers of Francis Martineau Lupton, Hugh and Sir Charles Lupton - both of whom were Lord Mayor of Leeds - playing host to Princess Mary in 1927.^[6][7][8] Another of Kate's cousins, Elinor Lupton was Leeds Lady Mayoress suo jure in 1943;^[9] her Lord Mayor being Albert Kitson's first cousin, Miss Jessie Beatrice Kitson.^[10]

Kate Lupton was sent to the school conducted by her relative Rachel Martineau.^[11]

Kate's husband, Edward, Baron von Schunck (1816–1889) was born in Leipzig; the couple marrying in 1867.^[12] By 1871, Edward had become a naturalised British subject.^[13]

Edward's great great grandfather had been raised to the Barony of the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. As Peter H. Wilson's book, titled War, State and Society in Württemberg, 1677-1793 (Cambridge University Press, 1995), points out, Johann Nathanael, Baron von Schunck (1687–1742), was the Duchy of Württemberg's Ambassador to Great Britain in the early 18th century. Johann Nathanael, Baron von Schunck's wife was Anne Marie von Schutz (d.1750) and her family were also involved in politics; Wilson's book states that in 1717, Baron von Schunck's brother-in-law, J.H. von Schutz, was a fellow Privy Council member.^[14]

Another of Johann Nathanael, Baron von Schunck's grandsons was Major Johann Carl, Freiherr (Baron) von Schunck, (died 1800) and another descendant was the composer Christian Darnton, (died 1981).^{[14][15][16][17][18][19]}

Title

Kitson succeeded to the titles of 2nd Baron Airedale, of Gledhow, and 2nd Baronet Kitson on 16 March 1911. As Peers of the Realm, both Lord and Lady Airedale were invited to pay homage to King George V at his coronation at Westminster Abbey on 22 June of that year. Lady Airedale's mother, Baroness von Schunck (née Kate Lupton), was also invited but she "may have been too frail to attend as she died in 1913".^[20]

Later life

Following his father's death, Lord and Lady Airedale acquired Gledhow Hall, which had been painted by J.M.W. Turner in 1816. Lord Airedale was a director of Midlands Bank, now HSBC.^[5][21]

The couple had seven daughters but no sons.

A music-lover, Lord Airedale was reported in 1928 as being a supporter of the Leeds Triennial Musical Festival.^[22] His nephew was composer Christian Darnton.

On 8 December 1920, the wife of the British Prime Minister, Dame Margaret Lloyd George, visited Leeds and stayed with Lady Airedale at Gledhow Hall. It was reported that Baroness Airedale "expressed her great pleasure at the presence of Dame Margaret Lloyd George at the very successful reception at Leeds, to which over 150 prominent ladies of Coalition Liberal sympathies were invited from all parts of Yorkshire".^[23][24]

Lady Airedale died on 8 July 1942.^[25] Lord Airedale died on 11 March 1944 at Stansted, Essex, and the barony was inherited by his younger brother Roland.^[26]

References