Hugh Francis Savile Crossley, 4th Baron Somerleyton DL (born 27 September 1971), is a British restaurateur, hotel owner, landowner and conservationist. He lives at Somerleyton Hall, the 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) ancestral home of his family. He is a founding director of WildEast, an organisation that promotes rewilding in East Anglia and is rewilding 1,000 acres (400 ha) of his Somerleyton Hall estate.
The Lord Somerleyton | |
|---|---|
| Page of Honour | |
| In office 1983–1984 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Argyll |
| Succeeded by | Malcom Maclean |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Hugh Francis Savile Crossley 27 September 1971 |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse |
Lara Bailey (m. 2009) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Saville Crossley, 3rd Baron Somerleyton Belinda Maris Loyd |
| Residence | Somerleyton Hall |
Family life
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Crossley was born 27 September 1971, the fourth child and only son of William Crossley, 3rd Baron Somerleyton (1928–2012), and his wife, Belinda Maris Loyd. He grew up at the family home of Somerleyton Hall in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and was educated at Eton College and Anglia Ruskin University.[1] He served as Second Page of Honour to Elizabeth II for a year at the age of 12,[2] and succeeded to the title of Baron Somerleyton in 2012, upon on the death of his father.[3]
His siblings include: Hon. Isabel Alicia Claire Crossley (b. 1964), Camilla Mary Lara Somerleyton (b. 1967), Alicia Phyllis Belinda Somerleyton (b. 1969), and Louisa Bridget Vivien Somerleyton (b. 1974).[2] He is the grandson of Francis Savile Crossley, 2nd Baron Somerleyton (1889–1959), and the great-grandson of Savile Crossley, 1st Baron Somerleyton (1857–1935), a Liberal Unionist politician who served as Paymaster General from 1902 to 1905.[4]
He married Lara Bailey in 2009 with whom he has three children: Hon. John Crossley (born February 2010), Hon. Christabel Maris Tessa Crossley (born 19 April 2012), and Hon. Margot Phyllis Mary Crossley (born June 2014)[2]
Professional life
editHe developed a business within the entertainment industry, initially bringing the Eastern Haze Festival to Somerleyton Hall.[5][6]
He formerly owned two Dish Dash Persian restaurants in London operated under the company name Empty Quarter Restaurants, which were sold after his holding company went out of business in 2004.[7][8] He owns the Fritton House hotel near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.[9][10] In June 2013, he opened a new restaurant in Norfolk.[3]
Lord Somerleyton was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk in 2019.[11]
He is in the process of rewilding 1,000 acres (400 ha) of the estate and is a founding trustee of WildEast, a charitable foundation that promotes regenerative farming and rewilding in the East Anglia.[12]
Arms
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References
edit- ^ 'SOMERLEYTON', Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017.
- ^ a b c The Peerage, entry for 4th Lord Somerleyton, thepeerage.com. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Chipping In". Norfolkmag.co.uk. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
- ^ Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, [page needed]
- ^ "Eastern Haze festival tickets go on sale". EDP24. 22 March 2007. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Don't miss: Eastern Haze Festival". Norwich Evening News. 25 May 2007. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Aristocrat sells restaurants as his company goes bust (Hugh Crossley) (Empty Quarter Restaurants)". Caterer & Hotelkeeper. 23 September 2004. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Middle Eastern promise?". Caterer Search. 19 March 2003. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "Fritton House hotel, Norfolk". Caterer & Hotelkeeper. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ Jackson, Nicole (21 January 2007). "Checking in: Fritton House". The Observer. London. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ Deputy Lieutenant Commissions
- ^ "Farmers hatch plan to return area the size of Dorset to wild nature". The Guardian. 14 July 2020.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage. 2003. p. 4409.