William Craven, 6th Earl of Craven

William Robert Bradley Craven, 6th Earl of Craven (8 September 1917 – 27 January 1965) was a British peer.

Craven was the only son of William Craven, 5th Earl of Craven, and inherited the earldom in 1932.

Lord Craven was educated at Downside and at the Northamptonshire Institute of Agriculture. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards and as a Lieutenant in the RNVR during the Second World War.

Lord Craven was created a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1959.

Craven married firstly (Gwendoline) Irene Meyrick, sister of the Countess of Kinnoull, on 3 May 1939 with whom he had one daughter:

• Lady Sarah Jane Craven (born 9 January 1940)

The marriage was dissolved in 1954 and on 25 September 1954 Craven married Elizabeth Gwendolen Teresa Johnstone-Douglas (born 2 June 1916, died 2011) with whom he had three further children:

• Thomas Robert Douglas Craven, 7th Earl of Craven (born 24 August 1957, committed suicide 22 October 1983) leaving natural issue. Died unmarried, and was succeeded by his younger brother Simon.
• Lady Ann Mary Elizabeth Craven (born 9 April 1959) married several times, and has issue.
• Simon George Craven, 8th Earl of Craven (born 16 September 1961, killed in road accident 30 August 1990), married Teresa Downes in 1988; father of Benjamin Robert Joseph Craven, 9th Earl of Craven (born 13 June 1989)

Lord Craven died in 1965 and was succeeded in the earldom by his elder son, Thomas.

Arms of William Craven, 6th Earl of Craven

Coronet A Coronet of an Earl Crest On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Griffin statant wings elevated Ermine beaked and foremembered Or Escutcheon Argent a Fess between six Cross Crosslets fitchée Gules Supporters On either side a Griffin wings elevated Ermine beaked and foremembered Or Motto Virtus In Actione Consistit (Virtue consists in action)