Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire

Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCMG, GCVO, TD, PC, JP, FRS^[1] (31 May 1868 – 6 May 1938), known as Victor Cavendish until 1908, was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada.

Quick Facts 11th Governor General of Canada, Monarch ...

His Grace The Duke of Devonshire KG GCMG GCVO TD PC JP FRS
11th Governor General of Canada
In office 11 November 1916 – 2 August 1921
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Canadian  • Robert Borden  • Arthur Meighen British  • H. H. Asquith  • David Lloyd George
Preceded by	Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Succeeded by	The Lord Byng of Vimy
Secretary of State for the Colonies
In office 24 October 1922 – 22 January 1924
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Bonar Law Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Winston Churchill
Succeeded by	James Henry Thomas
Civil Lord of the Admiralty
In office 25 May 1915 – 26 Jul 1916
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	H. H. Asquith
Preceded by	George Lambert
Succeeded by	The Earl of Lytton
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
In office 9 October 1903 – 5 December 1905
Monarch	Edward VII
Prime Minister	Arthur Balfour
Preceded by	Arthur Elliot
Succeeded by	Reginald McKenna
Treasurer of the Household
In office 4 December 1900 – 13 October 1903
Monarchs	Victoria Edward VII
Prime Minister	The Marquess of Salisbury Arthur Balfour
Preceded by	The Earl Howe
Succeeded by	Marquess of Hamilton
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 24 March 1908 – 6 May 1938 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	The 8th Duke of Devonshire
Succeeded by	The 10th Duke of Devonshire
Member of Parliament for West Derbyshire
In office 2 June 1891 – 24 March 1908
Preceded by	Lord Edward Cavendish
Succeeded by	Earl of Kerry
Personal details
Born	(1868-05-31)31 May 1868 Marylebone, London, England
Died	6 May 1938(1938-05-06) (aged 69) Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, England
Political party	Liberal Unionist
Spouse	Lady Evelyn Petty-Fitzmaurice ​ ​ (m. 1892)​
Children	Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire Lady Maud Cavendish Lady Blanche Cavendish Lady Dorothy Macmillan Rachel Stuart, Viscountess Stuart of Findhorn Lord Charles Cavendish Anne Montagu, Countess of Sandwich
Parents	Lord Edward Cavendish Emma Lascelles
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge
Profession	Politician

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A member of the Cavendish family, he was educated at Eton College and the University of Cambridge. After the death of his father in 1891, he entered politics, winning his father's constituency unopposed. He held that seat until he inherited his uncle's dukedom in 1908. Thereafter, he took his place in the House of Lords, while, for a period at the same time, acting as mayor of Eastbourne and Chesterfield. He held various government posts both prior to and after his rise to the peerage. In 1916 he was appointed governor general of Canada by King George V, on the recommendation of Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, to replace Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, as viceroy. He occupied that post until succeeded by Lord Byng of Vimy in 1921. The appointment was initially controversial but, by the time of his return to England, the Duke had earned praise for the way in which he carried out his official duties.

Following his tenure as governor general, he returned to political and diplomatic life, serving as Secretary of State for the Colonies between 1922 and 1924, before retiring to his estate in Derbyshire, where he died on 6 May 1938. He was the last Duke to ever hold a cabinet post.