Thomas Noel, 2nd Viscount Wentworth

The Right Honourable The Viscount Wentworth
Member of ParliamentforLeicestershire
In office 1774–1774 Serving withSir John Palmer, Bt
Preceded by	Sir Thomas Cave, Bt Sir John Palmer, Bt
Succeeded by	Sir John Palmer, Bt John Peach-Hungerford
Personal details
Born	Thomas Noel (1745-11-18)18 November 1745
Died	17 April 1815(1815-04-17)(aged 69)
Spouse(s)	Mary, Dowager Countess Ligonier ​ ​ (m.1788;died 1814)​
Children	Thomas Noel
Parent(s)	Edward Noel, 1st Viscount Wentworth Judith Lamb
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Brasenose College, Oxford

Thomas Noel, 2nd Viscount Wentworth(18 November 1745 – 17 April 1815) was aBritishpolitician who succeeded to apeeragebefore he could take his seat in theHouse of Commons,having just been elected in 1774.

Early life

Wentworth was the only son ofEdward Noel, 1st Viscount Wentworthand his wife, Judith Lamb, daughter of William Lamb of Wellesborough, Leicestershire. His sister, the Hon. Judith Noel, marriedSir Ralph Milbanke, 6th Baronet.

He was educated atEtonand, having matriculated atBrasenose College, Oxfordon 4 November 1763, was awarded MA on 29 April 1766.

Career

At the1774 general election,Noel successfully contestedLeicestershireand was returned asMember of Parliament.However, he had to leave theCommonswithin a month when he succeeded to the peerage on the death of his father on 31 October.

Personal life

On 2 February 1788, Wentworth married Mary Ligonier, Dowager Countess Ligonier, a daughter ofRobert Henley, 1st Earl of Northingtonand widow ofEdward Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier(of the second creation). The union did not produce any children, although Wentworth had fathered an illegitimate son, Thomas Noel (1774–1853), who became rector ofKirkby Mallory.There he conducted the marriage ceremony of his cousin,Anne Isabella Milbanke,toLord Byronin 1815.

Upon his death in 1815 aged 69, Lord Wentworth's viscountcy became extinct, whilst thebarony of Wentworthbecame abeyant between his nephewHon. Nathaniel Curzon(later Lord Curzon) and his sister, Judith (and after her, her daughterAnne Isabella Byron, Baroness Byron). When Judith died in 1822 and then Lord Curzon died without heirs in 1856, the abeyance was terminated in favour of Anne.