The Marquis of Granby, John Manners was the eldest son of the 3rd Duke of Rutland. John Manners gained the title of The Marquis of Granby as he did not outlive his father the Duke of Rutland, therefore taking his fathers subsidiary title. John Manners was an unlikely hero. As a young man Granby made his mark as an enthusiastic huntsman, racegoer and gambler. King George the 2nd denounced him as “a sot, a bully, that does nothing but drink and quarrel”.

In fact John Manners was made Colonel of the Blues in 1758 and was promoted to Lieutenant-General in 1759. Granby’s first great battle was The Battle of Minden where under Prince Ferdinand he defeated the French Army on August 1st 1759 during the seven years war.



Granby had a reputation for looking after his men, and the public idolized him for his common touch as much as for his personal bravery. The most enduring testament to his popularity is the number of pubs opened by retired soldiers that were and still are named after him.