London and Everything Spencer?
 

Greetings,

We will be in London in December and my husband's name is Spencer. He had ancestors in England and has documentation that the family history connects him to Princess Diana , Winston Churchill, the Duke of Marlbrough?. Apparently we are very long long long lost cousins. But, he has the family name. So, I would like to take him to places that would have a little more meaning to him. I found the Spencer House in the travel book. Do you have any other ideas?

His birthday is near the time we visit London I thought this could be a great surprise!

Thanks bunches,
Sunny

Let's kill two false leads first.

The Spencer in Marks & Spencer is derived from John Spencer who was one of the orginal partners. But he was a humble Yorkshireman, and Spencer is a pretty common name. There's no evidence of any connection with the Earls of Sunderland, who really are the root of the Churchill, Lady Di etc thing.

Second, Blenheim Palace wasn't built by a Spencer. The Dukes of Marlborough acquired the Spencer in their surnames because the second Duke (actually Duchess) married a Spencer after the palace and Marlborogh House, next door to St James's Palace in London, had been built, so her nephew - Charles Spencer (b1706, acceded 1729) - was the third Duke.

To look at things connected with the Spencers, you need to start looking at what that bunch of Spencers (who changed their name to Spencer-Churchill in the 1760s) did: start by googling Duke Of Marlborough, then follow their careers and breeding habits since Duke 3.

That means you might start all this with the Foundling Hospital in Coram Fields, the earliest useful thing with which this group of Spencers were associated, and now a fascinating museum (the Hospital's establishment was funded by artists of the day contributing works).

Spencer House is quite worthwhile, and it's only open once a week on Sundays. If you want to visit, plan your trip accordingly.

Syon House in Isleworth is one of the Spencer pads (that's Spencer as in Despenser, not Marks and Spencer or Frank Spencer.)

ps Jenny Spencer Churchill (nee Jerome) is my Great Aunt. And a right tart by all accounts. She fitted in the family just fine.

THANKS, Sunderland is really the family name the history comes from. There were 3 brothers that came to America in the 1700 or 1800's??? My husband has the documents somewhere safe, so I can't check the names and dates today.
Cholmondley_Warner I guess that means your his cousin?