First creation (1788) The Howe family descended from
John Grobman Howe, of
Langar, Nottinghamshire. He married Annabella, illegitimate daughter of
Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland. Their son,
Scrope Howe, sat as a
Knight of the Shire for
Nottinghamshire. In 1701 he was raised to the
Peerage of Ireland as
Baron Glenawley and
Viscount Howe. His son
Emanuel, the second viscount, also represented Nottinghamshire in the
House of Commons and served as
Governor of Barbados. Emanuel married
Charlotte, Baroness von Kielmansegg, niece of
George I via his illegitimate half-sister. The third, fourth and fifth viscounts were all sons of Emanuel and Charlotte. The third,
George, was a brigadier of the British Army, killed at the
Battle of Fort Carillon in 1758. George was succeeded by his younger brother
Richard, a distinguished naval commander best known for his victory of the
Glorious First of June in 1794. In 1782 Richard was created
Viscount Howe, of
Langar in the
County of Nottingham, in the
Peerage of Great Britain, which entitled him to a seat in the British
House of Lords. In 1788 he was made
Baron Howe, of Langar in the County of Nottingham, with remainder to his daughters and the heirs male of their bodies, and
Earl Howe, with normal remainder to heirs male of his body, also in the Peerage of Great Britain. Richard had no male issue, and on his death in 1799 the viscountcy of 1782 and earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of Howe according to the special remainder by his eldest daughter,
Sophia Charlotte (see below). The Irish titles passed to his younger brother,
William, the fifth Viscount, a noted soldier who served as
Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in North America during the
American Revolutionary War. William had no surviving issue and on his death in 1814 the barony of Glenawley and the Irish viscounty of Howe became extinct. & Viscounts and Earl Howe (1st creation)
Second creation (1821) The aforementioned Lady Sophia, who succeeded her father as second Baroness Howe in 1799, married the Hon.
Penn Curzon, Member of Parliament for
Clitheroe. He was the only son of
Assheton Curzon, second son of Sir Nathaniel Curzon, 4th Baronet, of Kedleston (ancestor of
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, and the
Barons and Viscounts Scarsdale; see Viscount Scarsdale for earlier history of the family). Assheton Curzon represented Clitheroe in the House of Commons for twenty-seven years. In 1794 he was raised to the
Peerage of Great Britain as
Baron Curzon, of
Penn in the
County of Buckingham, and in 1802 he was further honoured when he was made
Viscount Curzon, of Penn in the County of Buckingham, in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom. Lord Curzon was succeeded by his grandson, the second Viscount. He was the only son of Penn Curzon and Lady Howe. In 1821 he assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Howe and the same year the earldom held by his maternal grandfather was revived when he was created
Earl Howe in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1835 he also succeeded his mother as third Baron Howe. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He sat as
Conservative Member of Parliament for
Leicestershire South. He died without male issue and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl, who was a General in the
British Army. His eldest son, the fourth Earl, was a Conservative politician and held minor office in the
Conservative administration of 1895 to 1905. On his death in 1929 the title passed to his eldest son, the fifth Earl. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament and also involved in the world of motor racing. His only son, the sixth Earl, had four daughters but no sons and on his death in 1984 the line of the fourth Earl failed. The late Earl was succeeded by his second cousin,
Frederick Curzon, the seventh Earl. He is the only son of the actor
George Curzon, son of the Hon. Frederick Graham Curzon-Howe, second son of the third Earl. Lord Howe held office from 1991 to 1997 in the Conservative administrations of
John Major and from 2015 to 2024 was Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Minister of State for Defence. He is now Shadow Deputy Leader as one of the
ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the
House of Lords after the passing of the
House of Lords Act 1999. As a descendant of Sir Nathaniel Curzon, 4th Baronet, of Kedleston, he is also in remainder to this baronetcy, which is held by his kinsman the
Viscount Scarsdale. Several other members of the Curzon-Howe family have also gained distinction. The Hon. Frederick Howe (1823–1881), third son of the first Earl, was a
captain in the
Royal Navy. The Hon. Ernest George Howe (1828–1885), sixth son of the first Earl, was a Colonel in the British Army. The Hon.
Sir Leicester Smyth (1829–1891) (who assumed the surname of Smyth in 1866), seventh son of the first Earl, was a General in the British Army and served as
Governor of Gibraltar. The Hon.
Montagu Curzon (1846–1907), eighth son of the first Earl (and eldest from his second marriage), was a Colonel in the
Rifle Brigade and
Member of Parliament. The Hon.
Sir Assheton Curzon-Howe, ninth son and youngest child of the first Earl, was a naval commander and served as Commander-in-Chief of the
Mediterranean Fleet from 1908 to 1910. His eldest son Leicester Charles Assheton St John Curzon-Howe (1894–1941) was a Captain in the Royal Navy.
Lady Mary Anna Curzon-Howe, only daughter from the second marriage of the first Earl, married
James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn. Their granddaughter
Lady Cynthia Hamilton married
Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer, and was the grandmother of
Diana, Princess of Wales. The aforementioned
George Curzon, son of the Hon. Frederick Graham Curzon-Howe, second son of the third Earl, was an actor. The family seat is Penn House,
Penn Street,
Buckinghamshire. ==Earl Howe, first creation==