John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke Of Marlborough

John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, was born on 2 June 1822 at Garboldisham Hall, Norfolk. He was the eldest son of George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough, and Lady Jane Stewart, daughter of Admiral George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway. He held the courtesy titles of Earl of Sunderland from 1822 to 1840 and Marquess of Blandford from 1840 to 1857.

He received education at Eton College and subsequently at Oriel College, Oxford. In 1842, Spencer-Churchill was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Yeomanry. He was promoted to the rank of captain on 22 April 1847, a regiment in which his father and younger brother also served. He held interests in land, owning approximately 23,000 acres, primarily in Oxfordshire.

His political career began with his election as Member of Parliament for Woodstock in 1844, a position he held until 1845, and again from 1847 to 1857. During his time in Parliament, he was responsible for the passage of the New Parishes Act 1856, which permitted populous parishes to be divided for church purposes. In 1857, he succeeded his father as the Duke of Marlborough and transitioned into the House of Lords.

Spencer-Churchill served in various governmental roles. He was Lord Steward of the Household under Prime Minister Lord Derby from 1866 to 1867. From 1867 to 1868, he served as Lord President of the Council, serving in the cabinet under both Derby and Benjamin Disraeli. He was sworn into the Privy Council in 1866 and was appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1868. In 1874, he was offered but declined the viceroyalty of Ireland. Later, he held the office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1876 to 1880.

He was also president of The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society for many years. Spencer-Churchill died suddenly from angina pectoris at 29 Berkeley Square, London, on 4 July 1883, at the age of 61. After lying in state at Blenheim Palace, his body was interred in the palace's private chapel on 10 July.

He married Lady Frances Anne Emily Vane on 12 July 1843. She was the eldest daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry and Lady Frances Vane-Tempest. They had eleven children:

- George Charles Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough (born 13 May 1844; died 9 November 1892), whose son became the 9th Duke and married into the Vanderbilt family.

- Lord Frederick John Winston Spencer-Churchill (2 February 1846 – 5 August 1850).

- Lady Cornelia Henrietta Maria Spencer-Churchill (17 September 1847 – 22 January 1927), married Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne.

- Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill (13 February 1849 – 24 January 1895), married Jennie Jerome; their children included Sir Winston Churchill and John Strange "Jack" Spencer-Churchill.

- Lady Rosamund Jane Frances Spencer-Churchill (9 November 1851 – 3 December 1920), married William Fellowes, 2nd Baron de Ramsey.

- Lady Fanny Octavia Louise Spencer-Churchill (29 January 1853 – 5 August 1904), married Edward Marjoribanks, 2nd Baron Tweedmouth.

- Lady Anne Emily Spencer-Churchill (14 November 1854 – 20 June 1923), married James Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe.

- Lord Charles Ashley Spencer-Churchill (25 November 1856 – 11 March 1858).

- Lord Augustus Robert Spencer-Churchill (4 July 1858 – 12 May 1859).

- Lady Georgiana Elizabeth Spencer-Churchill (14 May 1860 – 9 February 1906), married Richard George Penn Curzon, 4th Earl Howe.

- Lady Sarah Isabella Augusta Spencer-Churchill (4 July 1865 – 22 October 1929), a war correspondent during the Boer War, married Lt. Col. Gordon Chesney Wilson.

The 7th Duke of Marlborough died on 4 July 1883. His widow passed away on 16 April 1899.

In popular culture, Marlborough was portrayed by Cyril Luckham in the 1974 television mini-series "Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill."

His ancestry traces back through the Spencer-Churchill family, a notable noble lineage in Britain.

References include the Dictionary of National Biography and records from the Churchill Archives Centre.