Arthur Wellesley

Lieutenant Christian Arthur Wellesley, 4th Earl Cowley (25 December 1890 – 29 August 1962), known as Viscount Dangan from 1895 to 1919, was an English aristocrat and actor known by the name Arthur Wellesley.

Early life Wellesley was born on 25 December 1890. He was the eldest son of Henry Wellesley, 3rd Earl Cowley and his first wife, Lady Violet Nevill. His parents divorced in 1897 after which his mother married Col. Robert Edward Myddelton in 1898. From his father's second marriage to Lady Hartopp (née Hon. Millicent Wilson, the former wife of Sir Charles Hartopp, Bt and daughter of Lord Nunburnholme), he had two more half-siblings: Lady Diana Wellesley (wife of the 2nd Baron Glentoran) and Lady Cecilia Wellesley. From his father's third marriage to Clare (née Stapleton) Buxton (the former wife of Geoffrey Buxton of Dunston Hall, and daughter of Sir Francis Stapleton, Bt), he had a younger half-brother, Hon. Henry Wellesley.

His paternal grandparents were William Wellesley, 2nd Earl Cowley, and the former Emily Gwendoline Peers-Williams (a daughter of Thomas Peers Williams MP for Great Marlow). His maternal grandparents were William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny and the former Caroline Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone (a daughter of Sir John Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 2nd Baronet).

Career He was educated at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He gained the rank of Lieutenant in the 5th Lancers and was an artillery officer during World War I. At the time of his wedding, it was reported that "Lord Dangan was cut adrift by his father some years ago, but is still, or at least was up to the time he married an American show girl, in the good graces of his aunt and uncle, the very wealthy Lord and Lady Hythe. Lady Hythe was the sister of Lord Dangan's mother." but a jury refused it. He had named English actor Humphrey Kent as correspondent. they were the parents of:

Michael Wellesley, Viscount Dagan (1915–1922), who died young. Lady Patricia Mary Anne Wellesley (1918–1944), who served with the Women's Royal Naval Service during the World War II. Denis Arthur Wellesley, 5th Earl Cowley (1921–1968), who married Elizabeth Papillon, daughter of Pelham Papillon, in 1944. They divorced in 1950 and married Annette O'Hara, daughter of Maj. James J. O'Hara, in 1950. After her death, he married Janet Elizabeth Aiyar, daughter of Ramiah Aiyar, in 1961. who married Dr. Paul Hanlon, a son of Edward F. Hanlon, in 1945.

On 18 June 1933, a day after his divorce from his first wife, he was married to Mary Elsie ( May) Himes by the Rev. Brewster Adams, a Baptist minister, at the home of Harry Atkinson, Lord Cowley's attorney. Together, they were the parents of:

Garret Graham Wellesley, 7th Earl Cowley (1934–2016), who married Elizabeth Suzanne Lennon, daughter of Hayes Lennon, in 1960. They divorced in 1966 and he married Isabelle O'Bready in 1968. They divorced in 1981 and he married Paige Deming, daughter of Joseph Grove Deming, in 1981. After her death in 2008, he married Carola Marion Erskine-Hill, daughter of Sir Robert Erskine-Hill, 2nd Baronet, in 2012. Hon. Brian Timothy Wellesley (b. 1938)

His first wife died in London on 5 June 1946. He died on 29 August 1962. Upon his death, he was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Denis. Upon the 5th Earl's death in 1968, his son Richard succeeded to the earldom. As Richard died without male issue in 1975, the earldom passed to the 4th Earl's second son, Garret, who was succeeded by his son Graham, the 8th, and current, Earl Cowley.