George Coventry, 8th Earl of Coventry
The Earl of Coventry | |
|---|---|
| Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Worcestershire | |
| In office 1838–1843 | |
| Member of ParliamentforWorcester | |
| In office 1816–1826 Serving withWilliam Gordon,Thomas H. H. Davies | |
| Preceded by | Abraham Robarts William Gordon |
| Succeeded by | Thomas H. H. Davies George Richard Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 October 1784 |
| Died | 15 May 1843(aged 58) |
| Political party | Tory |
| Spouses | Hon. Emma Susanna Lygon
(m.1808;died1810)Lady Mary Beauclerk
(m.1811) |
| Relations | George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry(grandfather) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | George Coventry, 7th Earl of Coventry Peggy Pitches |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
George William Coventry, 8th Earl of Coventry(16 October 1784 – 15 May 1843), styledViscount Deerhurstfrom 1809 to 1831, was a BritishpeerandToryMember of Parliament.
Early life
[edit]Coventry was the eldest son ofGeorge Coventry, 7th Earl of Coventry,and his wife Peggy (néePitches). His younger brother was the Hon. William Coventry and his sisters were Lady Augusta Coventry (wife of Gen. SirWilloughby Cotton), Lady Barbara Coventry (wife of Lt. Col. Alexander Gregan-Crauford) and Lady Sophia Coventry (wife ofSir Roger Gresley, 3rd BtandSir William Des Voeux, 3rd Bt).[1]
His paternal grandparents wereGeorge Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventryand the former Maria Gunning (eldest daughter of Col. John Gunning ofCastle Combeand Hon Bridget Bourke, a daughter ofTheobald Bourke, 6th Viscount Mayo).[1]His mother was the second daughter and co-heiress of Sir Abraham Pitches, formerHigh Sheriff of Surrey,and Jane Hassel (daughter of Robert Prowse Hassel of Wraytesbury).[1]
He was educated atChrist Church, Oxford.
Career
[edit]On 10 November 1806 (as the Hon George Coventry) he was appointed by his grandfather the 6th Earl (theLord Lieutenant of Worcestershire) asLieutenant-Colonelof theWorcestershire Militia,then carrying out home defence duties. He continued in this role until 21 December 1838, when he was promoted toColonelof the regiment.[2]
He was elected to theHouse of Commonsas one of two representatives forWorcesterin 1816, a seat he held until 1826. In 1831, he succeeded his father in the earldom and entered theHouse of Lords.In 1838, he served asLord Lieutenant of Worcestershire.[3]
Personal life
[edit]On 16 January 1808, Lord Coventry married the Hon. Emma Susanna Lygon, daughter ofWilliam Lygon, 2nd Baron Beauchamp,subsequently created 1stEarl Beauchamp.At around the time of his marriage, he was also involved withSophia Dubochet,a girl in her early teens with whom he eloped and whom he subsequently kept as a mistress while she was courted byThomas Noel Hill, 2nd Baron Berwick,who married her in 1812. Her relationship with Coventry (thenViscount Deerhurst) is recorded in some detail by Sophia's sister, the noted courtesanHarriette Wilson.[4]Before her death in 1810, Emma and George were the parents of:[1]
- George William Coventry, Viscount Deerhurst (1808–1838), who married Harriet Anne Cockerell, eldest daughter ofSir Charles Cockerell, 1st Baronet,in 1836.[1]
On 6 November 1811, Coventry married secondly to Lady Mary Beauclerk, daughter ofAubrey Beauclerk, 6th Duke of St Albans.[5]Together, they were the parents of:[1]
- Hon. Henry Amelius Coventry (1815–1873), who married Caroline Stirling Dundas, daughter of James Dundas, 28th ofDundas Castleand Hon. Mary Tufton Duncan (a daughter ofAdam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan).[1]
Has a child with his sister Mary named William who was adopted by the Cripps
- Lady Mary Augusta Coventry (1812–1889), marriedHenry Fox, 4th Baron Hollandin 1833.[1]
He died in May 1843, aged 58. His son from his first marriage had predeceased him and he was succeeded in his titles by Viscount Deerhurst's son, his grandson,George.Lady Coventry died on 11 September 1845, aged 54.[1]
Descendants
[edit]Through his second son Henry, he was a grandfather of Mary Eleanor Lauderdale Coventry (1847–1928), who marriedHenry Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolkand was the mother of his great-grandchildren,Henry Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk,Hon. James Knyvett Estcourt Howard, Lady Mary Howard, Lady Eleanor Howard, Lady Agnes Howard, and Lady Katharine Howard.[6]
His granddaughter, Mary Augusta Henrietta Coventry (1841–1894), marriedJohn Turner Hopwood.Their nine children included the lyricist and novelistAubrey Hopwood(1863–1917) and the Royal Navy officerRonald Hopwood(1868–1949). His great-granddaughter, Geraldine Sarah Ponsonby (d. 1944), marriedDermot Bourke, 7th Earl of Mayo.[1]
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Memorial to Viscount Deerhurst, eldest son of the 8th Earl of Coventry, in thechurchatCroome Court -
Memorials to the 8th (1784–1843) and the 10th Earl of Coventry (1900–1940) in thechurchatCroome Court
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghij"Coventry, Earl of (E, 1697)".cracroftspeerage.co.uk.Heraldic Media Limited.Retrieved20 September2019.
- ^Capt Robert Holden,Historical Records of the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Worcestershire Regiment,London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, 1887,pp. 120, 181; Appendix D.
- ^Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors).Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage(1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,[page needed]
- ^Harriette Wilson's Memoirs;selected and edited by Lesley Blanch. London: Phoenix Press, 2003
- ^G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors,The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14(1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, p. 475.
- ^"Suffolk, Earl of (E, 1603)".cracroftspeerage.co.uk.Heraldic Media Limited.Archivedfrom the original on 25 April 2014.Retrieved18 September2019.