George Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper
Encyclopedia
George Augustus Frederick Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper (26 June 1806 – 15 April 1856), styled Viscount Fordwich until 1837, was a British
Whig politician. He served briefly as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
under his uncle Lord Melbourne
in 1834.
, daughter of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne
, sister of Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
, and a leading figure in Regency society. William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple
, was his younger brother. His mother married as her second husband the future Prime Minister Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
, in 1839.
for Canterbury
in the 1830 general election
, and served briefly under his uncle Lord Melbourne as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
between November and December 1834. He lost his seat in Parliament in the 1835 general election
. Two years later he succeeded his father in the earldom. Between 1846 and 1856 he served as Lord-Lieutenant of Kent.
sat as Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire
for many years. Lord Cowper died in April 1856, aged 49, and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son Francis
. Lady Cowper died in 1880.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Whig politician. He served briefly as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
|The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has been a junior position in the British government since 1782, subordinate to both the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and since 1945 also to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs...
under his uncle 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...
in 1834.
Background
Cowper was the eldest son of Peter Clavering-Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper, and his wife Emily LambEmily Lamb, Lady Cowper
Emily Lamb was a leading figure of the Almack's social set, sister to Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, and wife to Prime Minister Lord Palmerston.-The Lamb family:...
, daughter of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne
Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne
Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne , known as Sir Peniston Lamb, 2nd Baronet, from 1768 to 1770, was a British politician and the father of Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne....
, sister of Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount 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...
, and a leading figure in Regency society. William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple
William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple
William Francis Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple PC , known as William Cowper before 1869 and as William Cowper-Temple between 1869 and 1880, was a British Liberal Party politician and statesman....
, was his younger brother. His mother married as her second husband the future Prime Minister Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century...
, in 1839.
Political career
Cowper entered the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Canterbury
Canterbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Canterbury is a county constituency which has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in the 1830 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1830
The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue...
, and served briefly under his uncle Lord Melbourne as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
|The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has been a junior position in the British government since 1782, subordinate to both the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and since 1945 also to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs...
between November and December 1834. He lost his seat in Parliament in the 1835 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1835
The 1835 United Kingdom general election was called when Parliament was dissolved on 29 December 1834. Polling took place between 6 January and 6 February 1835, and the results saw Robert Peel's Conservatives make large gains from their low of the 1832 election, but the Whigs maintained a large...
. Two years later he succeeded his father in the earldom. Between 1846 and 1856 he served as Lord-Lieutenant of Kent.
Family
Lord Cowper married Lady Anne Florence de Grey (who after her husband's death succeeded as sixth Baroness Lucas of Crudwell), daughter of Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey, in 1833. They had two sons and four daughters. Their second son the Honourable Henry CowperHenry Cowper (politician)
Henry Frederick Cowper was a British Liberal Party politician.Cowper was the second son of George Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper, and his wife Anne , daughter of Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey. Francis Cowper, 7th Earl Cowper, was his elder brother...
sat as Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Hertfordshire was a county constituency covering the county of Hertfordshire in England. It returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
for many years. Lord Cowper died in April 1856, aged 49, and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son Francis
Francis Cowper, 7th Earl Cowper
Francis Thomas de Grey Cowper, 7th Earl Cowper KG, PC, DL , known as Viscount Fordwich from 1837 to 1856, was a British Liberal politician...
. Lady Cowper died in 1880.