Lord Uffington
(1838-1865)
26 October 1860

Volume 2, page 59, sitting number 1535.

Captain William Augustus Frederick Craven was born on 24 August 1838 at Gorhambury in Hertfordshire. He was the eldest son of William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven and his wife Lady Emily Mary née Grimston. As the eldest son of an earl he was styled Lord Uffington, one of his father’s lesser titles. In 1862 he gained the rank of Captain in the service of the Grenadier Guards.

He died unmarried on 18 April 1865, aged 26, at 16 Charles Street, London. His father died the following year and the earldom passed to William’s younger brother, George Grimston Craven.

The following paragraphs are a report of his death that appeared in the Coventry Standard (21 April 1865) under the heading 'Death of Viscount Uffington.'

'We are sorry to have to announce the demise of the above nobleman, which took place about one o'clock on Tuesday morning at the family mansion in Charles-street, Berkeley-square, after a long and painful illness. 

'The deceased was the eldest son and heir to Earl Craven. He was born at the Earl of Verulam's seat, Gorhambury, Herts, in 1838. In 1862 his lordship was appointed lieutenant and captain of the Grenadier Guards, from which he retired in 1863, after his return from Canada; in 1861 the deceased was a captain of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, which post he resigned in 1863, and was afterwards appointed major of Berks Militia.

'By the sad occurrence the Hon. George Grimston Craven becomes Viscount Uffington, born in 1841, appointed ensign and lieutenant of the Scots Fusilier Guards in 1860, and cornet of the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1863.'