Guest family

The Guest family is a British family that has been prominent in business and politics since the 18th century. It was involved in the British iron and steel industry, particularly the Dowlais Ironworks in Wales, which later became part of Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds. Hereditary titles held by members of the family include Baron Wimborne, Baron Ashby St Ledgers, and Viscount Wimborne, all in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

John Guest (1722–1785^[1] or 25 November 1787^[2][3]) was a brewer, farmer, and coal merchant in Broseley, Shropshire. He collaborated with Isaac Wilkinson in starting the Plymouth Ironworks in 1763 and there came to the attention of Thomas Lewis and the other Dowlais partners. He moved to Dowlais and was appointed manager of the works on 30 April 1767. He built his first house at Morlais Brook, Gellifaelog, but, isolated from his family, became a "lonely and melancholy man". By 1767, Guest had moved most of his family to Dowlais.^[2][4] His children were:

• Thomas Guest (infra); and
• Sarah Guest, who married William Taitt^[2] (died 1815),^[3] another of the Dowlais partners.

Thomas Guest (died 1807) continued his father's work at Dowlais. He married Jemima Revel Phillips of Shifnal, Shropshire. They had three daughters and two sons:^[5]

• Josiah John Guest (infra); and
• Thomas Revel Guest (1790–1837), a partner in Dowlais with two shares, and the firm's agent in Ireland. Along with his brother, he was one of the promoters and original shareholders of the Taff Vale Railway. On his death, he left one share to his brother and one to his nephew, Edward John Hutchins.^[6]

Thomas Guest did much to modernise production at Dowlais, employing several of his relatives, including Cornelius Guest, Charles Guest and George Guest.^[7]

Sir Josiah John Guest, 1st Baronet (1785–1852), married:^[5]

• 11 March 1817: Maria Elizabeth Ranken (died January 1818), the third daughter of William Ranken from Ireland.^[5]
• 29 July 1833: Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Bertie (1812–1895), eldest child of Albemarle Bertie, 9th Earl of Lindsey.^[5] They had ten children, including:^[5]
  • Ivor Bertie Guest (infra);
  • Montague Guest; and
  • Arthur Guest.

He purchased Canford Manor, Dorset 1846 and significantly remodelled the house, previously designed by Edward Blore, using the renowned architect of the Houses of Parliament, Charles Barry.^[8]

Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne (1835–1914), married Lady Cornelia Henrietta Maria Spencer-Churchill (1847–1927), daughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, and aunt of Winston Churchill. They had four daughters and five sons:^[9]

• Frances Charlotte Guest (1869-1957);
• Corisande Evelyn Vere Guest (1870-1943);
• Elaine Augusta Guest (1871-1958);
• Ivor Churchill Guest (1873-1939) (infra);
• Christian Henry Charles Guest (1874–1957);^[10]
• Frederick Edward Guest (1875-1937) (infra);
• Rosamund Cornelia Gwladys Guest (1877-1947);
• Lionel Guest (1880–1935), was a co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton Montreal. He married Flora Bigelow Dodge, daughter of John Bigelow, in 1905. Flora was the author of Laughter and Tears (1926) and the mother, by her first marriage, of John Bigelow Dodge;^[11][12] and
• Oscar Guest (1888–1958).^[13]

Lord Wimborne resided at the family residence, Canford Manor, and his wife Cornelia was instrumental in overseeing the construction of estate cottages, started by Charlotte Guest, to improve the living conditions for workers on the estate. The cottages are known as 'Lady Wimborne Cottages' in memory of her role.^[14]

Ivor Churchill Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne (1873–1939), married Alice Katherine Sibell Grosvenor, daughter of Robert Wellesley Grosvenor, 2nd Baron Ebury. They had two daughters, and one son:^[15]

• Ivor Grosvenor Guest, 2nd Viscount Wimborne.

Frederick Edward Guest (1875–1937), married Amy Phipps (1873–1959), daughter of American industrialist Henry Phipps. The couple had two sons and a daughter, all of whom eventually immigrated to the United States:^[16]

• Raymond Richard Guest (1907–1991), married three times, with five children.
• Winston Frederick Churchill Guest (1906–1982), a polo player who married (1) Helena Woolworth McCann (div. 1934), granddaughter of F. W. Woolworth, then (2) Lucy Douglas Cochrane (C. Z. Guest).

He had two sons with Helena Woolworth McCann:

1. Winston Alexander Guest Jr.
2. Frederick E. Guest II

He had a son and a daughter with Lucille Douglas Cochrane:

1. Alexander Michael Douglas Dudley Guest
2. Cornelia Guest

• Diana Guest (1909–1994), married (1) Marc Sevastopoulo, (2) Count Jean de Gaillard de la Valdène (1895–1977), then (3) Allen Manning.

She had two children with Count Jean de Gaillard de la Valdène:

1. Guy Winston de Gaillard de la Valdène
2. Lorraine Aimee de Gaillard de la Valdène

• Boyce, G. D. (2007) "Guest, Ivor Churchill, first Viscount Wimborne (1873–1939)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, online edn, accessed 3 September 2007 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
• Davies, P. M. (2004). "Sir Josiah John Guest, Bart., M.P. Provincial Grand Master of South Wales (1836-48)". Province of South Wales Eastern Division Feature. United Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of England. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
• John, A. V. (2004) "Guest, Sir (Josiah) John, first baronet (1785–1852)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 25 August 2007 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
• Jones, E (1987). A History of GKN Volume 1: Innovation and Enterprise 1759-1918. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0333345940.
• Owen, J. A. (1977). The History of the Dowlais Iron Works 1759-1970. Newport: Starling Press. ISBN 0-903434-27-X.
• Price, W. W. (1959). "GUEST family, iron-masters, coal owners, etc.". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
• Searle, G. R. (2006) "Guest, Frederick Edward (1875–1937)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, online edn, accessed 3 September 2007 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
• Vaughan, C. Maxwell (1975). Pioneers of Welsh Steel: Dowlais to Llanwern. Newport: Starling Press. ISBN 0903434083.

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