John Townsend, 2nd Viscount Sydney was a descendent of Suffolk landowner Charles Townsend, 2nd Viscount Townsend (1674–1738). John’s father, the 2st Viscount was a politician who had been raised to the peerage as Baron and later Viscount Sydney. The cities of Sydney, Nova Scotia and Sydney, Australia, were named after him.

John also entered politics sitting as M.P. for the Isle of Wight from 1786 until 1790. He then sat as member for Whitchurch. He was a supporter of Pitt’s administration, but very rarely spoke in parliament, however, he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs and was a Lord of the Treasury.

Following the death of his father in 1800 he inherited the viscountcy and was made Lord of the Bedchamber to King George III. The King also made him Ranger of Hyde Park and St. James’s Park from 1807 until his death in 1831. It is possible that he received these candelabra, and the accompanying set of four candlesticks and a pair of three-light candelabra, also sold at Christies in 1892, as a perquisite of office. The three light candelabra were given by H.M. King George V and Queen Mary to T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on the occasion of their marriage in November 1935. They were subsequently sold by the family at Christie's London on 13 December 2019, lot 18.