John Robert Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney (9 August 1805 – 14 February 1890), known as The Viscount Sydney between 1831 and 1874, was a British Liberal politician. In a ministerial career spanning over 30 years, he was twice Lord Chamberlain of the Household and twice Lord Steward of the Household.
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Background
A member of the Townshend family headed by the Marquess Townshend, Sydney was the son of John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney, by his second wife Lady Caroline Elizabeth Letitia, daughter of Robert Clements, 1st Earl of Leitrim. He was educated at Eton and St John's College, Cambridge, graduating MA in 1824.
Political career
Sydney was first elected to parliament for Whitchurch in 1826, a seat he held until 1831, when he succeeded his father in the viscountcy and entered the House of Lords. From 1828 to 1831 served Kings George IV and William IV as Groom of the Bedchamber and from 1835 to 1837 was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to William IV.
In December 1852 he was appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords in Lord Aberdeen's coalition government and was sworn of the Privy Council in early 1853. He continued as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard when Lord Palmerston became prime minister in 1855, but relinquished the position when the Liberals lost power in February 1858. The Liberals returned to office under Palmerston already in June 1859, when Sydney was made Lord Chamberlain of the Household, a post he held until 1866, the last year under the premiership of Lord Russell. In February 1866 he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.
