John Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham

John Cavendish Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham KCB, DL (23 October 1881 – 31 July 1949), was a British peer, soldier and Conservative politician from the Lyttelton family.

Cobham was the eldest son of Charles Lyttelton, 8th Viscount Cobham, and the Hon. Mary Susan Caroline Cavendish, daughter of William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham. Alfred Lyttelton was his uncle. He was educated at Eton. Like his father and his uncle, Cobham was a successful cricketer. He represented Worcestershire County Cricket Club in three first-class matches during 1924-5. He was President of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1935, again emulating his father and uncle. He served with the Rifle Brigade in the Second Boer War and from 1905 to 1908 he was Aide-de-Camp to the High Commissioner to South Africa.

Cobham was elected to the House of Commons for Droitwich in the January 1910 general election, a seat he held until his resignation 1916 (being appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead). During the First World War he fought at Gallipoli and in Egypt, the Sinai and Palestine, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He succeeded his father as ninth Viscount Cobham in 1922 and entered the House of Lords. In 1939 he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for War in the government of Neville Chamberlain, a position he retained until May 1940. Apart from his political and military career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire from 1923 to 1949.

St John the Baptist Church, Hagley, grave of John Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham (1881–1949)

St John the Baptist Church, Hagley, memorial to Violet, wife of the 9th Viscount Cobham

Cobham married Violet, daughter of Charles Leonard, on 30 June 1908. They had five children together:

• Charles John Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham (born 8 August 1909, died 20 March 1977)
• Hon Meriel Catherine Lyttelton (born 1 May 1911, died 11 November 1930)
• Hon Viola Maud Lyttelton (born 10 June 1912, died 3 May 1987), married Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster
• Hon Audrey Lavinia Lyttelton (born 3 August 1918, died 3 March 2007)
• Hon Lavinia Mary Yolande Lyttelton (born 21 August 1921, died 4 July 2007)

Cobham died in July 1949, aged 67, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Charles, who later served as Governor-General of New Zealand. Lord Cobham is buried in the Lyttleton family plot at St John the Baptist Church, Hagley. Lady Cobham died in 1966.