“ The 7th duke of Marlborough, John Winston Spencer-Churchill (1822–1883) , a prominent Conservative politician, was lord-lieutenant of Ireland 1876–1880, and when marquess of Blandford (the courtesy title borne by the duke’s eldest son in his father’s lifetime) was responsible for the act of 1856 called the “Blandford Act,” enabling populous parishes to be divided for purposes of Church work. In 1892 his grandson Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill (b. 1871) became 9th duke of Marlborough. ”

“ The 3rd earl was his grandson James (1618–1665) , a naval officer who was killed in action with the Dutch. James was succeeded by his uncle William, a younger son of the 1st earl, on whose death in 1679 the earldom became extinct. ”