Saturday, September 29, 2007

The Spencers-a fascinating family history

This 350 page book is a superb history of the Spencer Family -family of the late Lady Diana Spencer.It was written by Charles Spencer. The depth of research is breathtaking. It is the most interesting family history that I have ever encountered. As he says himself "In these pages you will find Spencers who are, by turn, ambitious, capricious, devious and pious. Simply because they are relatives , they will not receive any special treatment from me". He was certainly true to his word.

Lady Diana Spencer's grandfather claimed that "the word Spencer derives from the Norman word for steward or Head of Household:'Despenser,' " and that their ancestor was steward to the household of William the Conqueror in 1066. There was an earlier lady Diana Spencer who nearly married the Prince of Wales in 1730. She also died tragically at a young age. Sir Winston Churchill was a Spencer.

There is the story of George Spencer who converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism. He became a saintly Catholic priest. His religious name was Father Ignatius and he was a Passionist. He was the great-great-great-uncle of Princess Diana and was also the great-uncle of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He may soon become a saint.
On March 6th 2007 it was announced that papers relating to Fr. Ignatius' cause had been forwarded to Rome by the Postulator for his cause in hope that he might soon be declared 'Venerable'........

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