Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale

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The 5th Earl of Lonsdale.
The 5th Earl of Lonsdale.

Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale, KG, GCVO (25 January 1857 [1]13 April 1944) was an English nobleman. The second son of the 3rd Earl of Lonsdale, he succeeded his brother, the 4th Earl, in 1882. Lord Lonsdale was an avid sportsman and bon vivant and was known by some as "England's greatest sporting gentleman". He donated the original Lonsdale Belts for boxing. His name was also given to a clothing brand of boxing garments, worn by Muhammad Ali.

In addition, Lord Lonsdale was the inspiration for the Lonsdale cigar size, and was part of a famous wager with John Pierpoint Morgan over whether a man could circumnavigate the globe and remain unidentified. He was also a keen football fan, and was chairman of Arsenal Football Club for a brief period in 1936 (having previously been a club director). He later became the club's Honorary President.

He was known as the Yellow Earl for his penchant for the colour. He was a founder and first president of the Automobile Association (AA) which adopted his livery.

Lord Lonsdale was the subject of a biography, The Yellow Earl: The life of Hugh Lowther (ISBN B0006BNPO6), published in 1966.

[edit] References

  1. ^ (2006) Penguin Pocket On This Day. Penguin Reference Library. ISBN 0-141-02715-0. 

[edit] External links

Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
St George Lowther
Earl of Lonsdale
1882–1944
Succeeded by
Lancelot Lowther
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Lord Muncaster
Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland
1917–1944
Succeeded by
Frescheville Hubert Ballantine-Dykes
Business positions
Preceded by
Sir Samuel Hill-Wood
Arsenal chairman
1936
Succeeded by
The Earl of Granard
Languages