International Library of Twentieth Centu The Marquess of Londonderry: Aristocracy Power and Politics in Britain and Ireland Revised Edition Book 05 (Hardcover)

Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart the seventh Marquess of Londonderry has long been a divisive figure in British aristocratic history. Was he an anti-Semitic Nazi sympathizer as some have argued or a visionary who should be remembered in glory for his role in the creation of RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes during World War II? In the paperback edition of Lord Londonderry N.C Fleming answers this question and more. This updated edition draws extensively from private Londonderry family papers and state papers as well as existing secondary literature to provide an illuminating biography of Londonderry. This book has been updated with additional primary source research to reveal details about Londonderry House Londonderry s travels and his radical right-wing beliefs as well as his infamous anti-Semitism. Lord Londonderry examines his disastrous diplomatic visits during the war which seriously damaged his credibility at home alongside his achievements in the Royal Air force to provide a comprehensive biography of the Marquess. Fleming also studies the tumultuous period of aristocratic decline set against a backdrop of growing calls for social equality to show how this Conservative MP held onto his power in the changing social climate of post-war Britain. Here Fleming has revised and updated his biography of Lord Londonderry to remove the shadow that Londonderry s association with Nazi Germany has cast over his career. In doing so he provides an analysis of private family papers while also providing an extensive case study into the historiography of aristocracy.