George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford
Encyclopedia
George Stevens Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford, PC (8 June 1806 – 29 October 1886), styled Viscount Enfield between 1847 and 1860, was a British peer and Whig politician.
(later 1st Earl of Strafford
) and his wife, Mary (née Mackenzie). In 1822, after graduating from the Royal Military College
, he joined the 29th Regiment of Foot
as an ensign
by purchase
. In 1825, he transferred to the 85th Regiment of Foot
as a Lieutenant
and was promoted to Captain
in 1826.
for Milborne Port
, a seat he briefly held before taking the post of Comptroller of the Household to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland (his father-in-law, Lord Anglesey
), less than a year later. When his former co-MP, William Sturges-Bourne, took the Chiltern Hundreds a few weeks after, Byng returned to his former seat and held it until the Great Reform Bill
abolished the constituency a year later. From 1834 he was MP for the new constituency of Chatham
, a seat he held until 1835 and again from 1837 to 1852. He served under Lord Melbourne
as a Lord of the Treasury
between June and November 1834. Between 1836 and 1837 he represented Poole in parliament. He again served under Lord Melbourne
as Comptroller of the Household
between 1835 and 1841 and as Treasurer of the Household
between June and August 1841 and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1835. When Lord John Russell
became Prime Minister in 1846, Byng was appointed Joint Secretary to the Board of Control
, a post he retained until 1847.
After losing his parliamentary seat in 1852, Byng was summoned to the House of Lords
through a writ of acceleration
in his father's barony of Strafford a year later and inherited his father's earldom in 1860.
, on 7 March 1829. They had six children:
After Lady Agnes's death in October 1845, Lord Strafford married secondly the Hon. Harriett, daughter of Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham
, in 1848. They had seven children:
Lord Strafford died in October 1886, aged 80, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, George
. The Countess of Strafford died in June 1892.
Background, education and military career
Byng was the eldest son of John ByngJohn Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford
Field Marshal John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford, GCB, GCH, PC was a British peer, politician and soldier.-Early years:...
(later 1st Earl of Strafford
Earl of Strafford
Earl of Strafford is a title that has been created three times in English and British history.The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1640 for Thomas Wentworth, 1st Baron Wentworth, the close advisor of King Charles I...
) and his wife, Mary (née Mackenzie). In 1822, after graduating from the Royal Military College
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, he joined the 29th Regiment of Foot
29th Regiment of Foot
The 29th Regiment of Foot was, from 1694 to 1881, an infantry regiment of the British Army. It now forms part of the Mercian Regiment.-Formation:...
as an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
by purchase
Sale of commissions
The sale of commissions was a common practice in most European armies where wealthy and noble officers purchased their rank. Only the Imperial Russian Army and the Prussian Army never used such a system. While initially shunned in the French Revolutionary Army, it was eventually revived in the...
. In 1825, he transferred to the 85th Regiment of Foot
85th Regiment of Foot
Three regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 85th Regiment of Foot:*85th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1759*85th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1779*85th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1793...
as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and was promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1826.
Political career
Byng's political career began in 1830 when he was elected as Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Milborne Port
Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)
Milborne Port is a former parliamentary borough located in Somerset. It elected two members to the unreformed House of Commons between 1298 and 1307 and again from 1628, but was disenfranchised in the Reform Act 1832 as a rotten borough.- MPs 1640–1832 :...
, a seat he briefly held before taking the post of Comptroller of the Household to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland (his father-in-law, Lord Anglesey
Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as The Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against...
), less than a year later. When his former co-MP, William Sturges-Bourne, took the Chiltern Hundreds a few weeks after, Byng returned to his former seat and held it until the Great Reform Bill
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
abolished the constituency a year later. From 1834 he was MP for the new constituency of Chatham
Chatham (UK Parliament constituency)
Chatham was a parliamentary constituency in Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, a seat he held until 1835 and again from 1837 to 1852. He served under Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
between June and November 1834. Between 1836 and 1837 he represented Poole in parliament. He again served under Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
as Comptroller of the Household
Comptroller of the Household
The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the English royal household, currently the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department, and often a cabinet member. He was an ex officio member of the Board of Green Cloth, until that body was abolished in the reform of the local...
between 1835 and 1841 and as Treasurer of the Household
Treasurer of the Household
The position of Treasurer of the Household is theoretically held by a household official of the British monarch, under control of the Lord Steward's Department, but is, in fact, a political office held by one of the government's Deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons...
between June and August 1841 and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1835. When Lord John Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
became Prime Minister in 1846, Byng was appointed Joint Secretary to the Board of Control
Secretary to the Board of Control
The Secretary to the Board of Control was a British government office in the late 18th and early 19th century, supporting the President of the Board of Control, who was responsible for overseeing the British East India Company and generally serving as the chief official in London responsible for...
, a post he retained until 1847.
After losing his parliamentary seat in 1852, Byng was summoned to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
through a writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's barony of Strafford a year later and inherited his father's earldom in 1860.
Family
Lord Strafford married firstly Lady Agnes, daughter of Field Marshal Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of AngleseyHenry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as The Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against...
, on 7 March 1829. They had six children:
- George Henry Charles, styled Viscount Enfield, later 3rd Earl of StraffordGeorge Byng, 3rd Earl of StraffordGeorge Henry Charles Byng, 3rd Earl of Strafford , styled Viscount Enfield between 1860 and 1886, was a British Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
(1830–1898) - Hon. Henry William John, later 4th Earl of StraffordHenry Byng, 4th Earl of StraffordHenry William John Byng, 4th Earl of Strafford, KCVO, CB was a British peer and courtier.-Biography:Byng was the second son of George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford and his first wife, Agnes. From 1840 he was a Page of Honour to Queen Victoria and joined the Coldstream Guards in 1847 as a Lieutenant...
(1831–1899) - Hon. Francis Edmund Cecil, later 5th Earl of StaffordFrancis Edmund Cecil Byng, 5th Earl of StraffordRev. Francis Edmund Cecil Byng, 5th Earl of Strafford was an English Anglican minister and member of the peerage.- Background :Byng was born 15 January 1835, third son of George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford...
(1835–1918) - Lady Agnes Mary Georgiana (1833–1878), married Hedworth Jolliffe, 2nd Baron HyltonHedworth Jolliffe, 2nd Baron HyltonHedworth Hylton Jolliffe, 2nd Baron Hylton , was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.-Birth and education:Hylton was the second son of William George Hylton Jolliffe, 1st Baron Hylton, and Eleanor Paget...
. - Lady Mary Caroline Charlotte (1838–1933), married Richard ArkwrightRichard Arkwright (MP)Richard Arkwright was an English Conservative Party politician.Blake was the second son of John Arkwright, of Hampton Court, Herefordshire. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 1857. In 1862 he married Lady Mary Caroline Byng, daughter of the Earl of...
. - Lady Victoria Alexandrina Anna Maria (d. 1899), married Arthur Fuller.
After Lady Agnes's death in October 1845, Lord Strafford married secondly the Hon. Harriett, daughter of Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham
Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham
Charles Compton Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham was a British Liberal politician.Cavendish was the fourth son of George Augustus Henry Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, third son of the former Prime Minister William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, and his wife Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Boyle,...
, in 1848. They had seven children:
- Hon. Charles Cavendish George (1849–1918).
- Hon Alfred John George (1851–1887).
- Hon. Lionel Francis George (1858–1915).
- Hon. Julian Hedworth George, later 1st Viscount Byng of VimyJulian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of VimyField Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the 12th since Canadian Confederation....
(1862–1935). - Lady Susan Catherine Harriet (d. 1936), married Thomas Trueman.
- Lady Elizabeth Henrietta Alice (d. 1920).
- Lady Margaret Florence Lucy (d. 1945), married Hon. John Richard Boscawen.
Lord Strafford died in October 1886, aged 80, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, George
George Byng, 3rd Earl of Strafford
George Henry Charles Byng, 3rd Earl of Strafford , styled Viscount Enfield between 1860 and 1886, was a British Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
. The Countess of Strafford died in June 1892.