Heneage Finch, 7th Earl of Aylesford

Heneage Finch, 7th Earl of Aylesford (21 February 1849 – 13 January 1885), styled Lord Guernsey until 1871, and also known as Joseph Heneage Finch, was a British aristocrat and friend of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). Finch enjoyed many outdoor pursuits, and in his social circle was nicknamed "Sporting Joe." The Aylesford Scandal, a British society scandal of 1876, as well as financial difficulties, led to Finch leaving the United Kingdom to become a cattle rancher in Big Spring, Texas.

Family

Finch's parents were Heneage Finch, 6th Earl of Aylesford, and Jane Wightwick Knightley, the only daughter of John Wightwick Knightley of Offchurch Bury: they were married on 7 May 1846. Finch's family had a residence in Upper Brook Street, Mayfair, and he was born in St George Hanover Square, a historical parish that included the Mayfair district, on 21 February 1849. He was baptised at St George's on 15 March 1849. Finch had five siblings: Charles Wightwick (1851–1924), Anna Francesca Wilhelmina (1853–1933), Daniel Harry (1858–1890), Clement Edward (1861–1895) and George Cecil Moyle (1864–1865) He was educated at Eton.

On the death of his father on 10 January 1871, Finch succeeded to the title of Earl of Aylesford. He had married Edith Peers Williams only two days before, on 8 January 1871. Edith was the third daughter of Thomas Peers Williams and his wife Emily (née Bacon). Edith and Finch had two daughters: Hilda Johannah Gwendolen (1872–1931) who married Malcolm Donald Murray, and Alexandra Louise Minna (1875–1959) who married Philip Samuel Danby, was widowed and later married Robert Emmet.

"Sporting Joe"

Despite his public position, Finch did not participate in politics to any major extent. In the 14 years in which he was a member of the House of Lords, Hansard does not record Finch as contributing to any debates. Hansard did not have comprehensive coverage before 1909. Finch was a captain of the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry. He was also a county magistrate, but rarely presided over cases. Much of Finch's participation in public life involved outdoor pursuits, including fox hunting as a member of the North Warwickshire hounds and athletic feats such as challenging local tradesmen in Warwickshire to running races, sometimes giving the winnings to charity: Finch took part in a 100-yard race on 5 June 1874 against a Master Butcher of Leamington which took place at 3 a.m. in Warwick High Street, the prize being two bottles of champagne. Finch was once described as "as fine a specimen of manhood as one often encounters," a well built man, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall in his stockings. Finch was skilled at boxing, and was particularly interested in horse racing and breeding.

Boxing Finch had received boxing training from a retired pugilist and he reportedly boasted that he could "handle the daddles". On an occasion at the Packington Steeplechases a gang of thieves attempted to steal some ancestral silver tableware from Finch's tent, and he fought them off largely single handed.

Horse racing Finch was elected a member of the jockey club in 1875, and sometimes rode or sponsored horses under the name "Mr Gillman". Finch ran a racing stud from 1871, which was managed by Captain Octavius Machell. Finch's racing colours were yellow and violet sleeves. Many of Finch's horses were sold by auction in 1873 for less than what he had paid for them. Some well-known horses that were at one time owned by Finch include Acropolis, Algérie, Bonnie Dundee, Butress, Chandos, Chausseur, Claremont (came second in the 1875 Derby, which was won by Gusztáv Batthyány's stallion Galopin), Colonel Crockett, Creon, Dhawalgirl, Flash, Glenorchie, Hermitage, Killingholme, Knight of the Garter, Lady Hilda, Leveret, Lillington (a winner at Birmingham), Little Retty, Lord Darnley, Lord of the Mines, Lowlander, Marfiori, Mexborough, Noyre Tauren, Pain Killer, Petrel, Queensland, Redivivus, Regal (on whom Finch won a private sweepstake at Stockbridge in 1875), Reugny (winner of the Grand National in 1874 after passing out of Finch's ownership), Rose of Athol (won the Great Yorkshire Stakes in 1871), St. Pancras, Sir George, Soapsuds, Vanderdecken (Vanderdecken won the Liverpool Cup in 1872), Violetta, and Wentworth.

Pranks and public altercations Finch was reported upon in newspapers on several occasions for prankish and sometimes violent behaviour. Circa July 1871, shortly after succeeding his father as Earl, 22-year old Finch was fined 40 shillings by Richmond Magistrates for throwing flour over people in the streets of Richmond. Finch then switched to throwing flour at the citizens of Hammersmith and was fined another 40 shillings. Finch reportedly wished to witness an execution and petitioned the Governor of Warwick Prison to be allowed to attend one, but was refused, the Governor saying that an exception could not be made even for an Earl [public executions had been abolished in the United Kingdom after the Capital Punishment Amendment Act 1868]. Finch ordered six Brougham carriages to wait outside the Prison for the journalists who had been allowed to witness the execution, to drive them back to Warwick town in state.

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