Granville George Leveson-Gower (1815 - 1891)
2nd Earl Granville

Granville was vice-president for the Royal Commission, chosen on account of his social standing, connections and political awareness. He was a supremely skilful diplomat, at ease with his fellow aristocrats and with ordinary people, and was known as 'Pussy' on account of his smoothness. He saw the Exhibition as a positive stimulus to the inventiveness and refinement of public taste and donated £5,000 to the project.

He also chaired the Committee which worked to involve local communities in the Exhibition. He later chaired the Board that selected loans to the Sth. Kensington Museum (now the V&A).

MORE ON EARL GRANVILLE

COMMITTEES

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THE ROYAL COMMISSION