George Finch-Hatton, 10th Earl of Winchilsea
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George William Finch-Hatton, 10th Earl of Winchilsea, 5th Earl of Nottingham (1791–1858), politician.
Hatton, born at Kirby Hall
, Northamptonshire
, on 19 May 1791, was grandson of Edward Finch-Hatton, and son of George Finch-Hatton
(1747–1823) of Eastwell Park, near Ashford, Kent, M.P. for Rochester 1772–84, by his wife whom he married in 1785, Lady Elizabeth Murray
, eldest daughter of David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield
. She died 1 June 1825.
George William, the elder son, was educated at Westminster School
and Christ's College, Cambridge
, where he proceeded B.A. in 1812. On 13 October 1809 he became a captain in the Ashford regiment of Kentish local militia, on 14 December 1819 commenced acting as a lieutenant of the Northamptonshire regiment of yeomanry, and on 7 September 1820 was named a deputy-lieutenant for the county of Kent. His cousin, George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea
and fourth earl of Nottingham, having died on 2 August 1826, he succeeded to these peerages.
He presided at a very large and influential meeting held on Penenden Heath
, Kent
, on 10 October 1828, when strongly worded resolutions in favour of Protestant principles were carried. In his place in the House of Lords
he violently opposed almost every liberal measure which was brought forward. He was particularly noted as being almost the only English nobleman who was willing to identify himself with the Orange party in Ireland, and he was accustomed to denounce in frantic terms Daniel O'Connell
, Maynooth
, and the system of education carried out in that college.
Occasionally he took the chair at May meetings at Exeter Hall
, but his intemperate language prevented him from becoming a leader in evangelical politics. The Catholic Relief Bill
of 1829 encountered his most vehement hostility, and ultimately led to a duel with the Duke of Wellington
. Lord Winchilsea, in a letter to the secretary of King's College London
, wrote that the duke, "under the cloak of some coloured show of zeal for the Protestant religion, carried on an insidious design for the infringement of our liberties and the introduction of popery into every department of the state". The duke replied with a challenge. The meeting took place in Battersea Fields on 21 March 1829, the duke being attended by Sir Henry Hardinge, and his opponent by Edward Boscawen, 4th Viscount Falmouth. The duke fired and missed; he claimed he did so on purpose. However, the duke was known as a poor shot and accounts differ as to whether he purposefully missed. Winchilsea kept his arm by his side at the command to "fire" then quite deliberately raised his arm in the air and fired. He then apologised for the language of his letter. It is almost certain that Winchilsea and Falmouth had agreed on their course of action, as the letter of apology was already prepared.
He was a very frequent speaker in the Lords, and strenuously opposed the Reform Bill and other Whig
measures. He was gazetted lieutenant-colonel commandant of the East Kent regiment of yeomanry 20 December 1830, named a deputy-lieutenant for the county of Lincoln 26 September 1831, and created a D.C.L. of Oxford 10 June 1834.
He died at Haverholme Priory
, near Sleaford
, Lincolnshire
, 8 January 1858.
He was the writer of a pamphlet entitled Earl of Winchilsea's Letter to the “Times,” calling upon the Protestants of Great Britain to unite heart and soul in addressing the Throne for a Dissolution of Parliament, 1851.
He was responsible for the phrase Kentish Fire
meaning prolonged derisive cheering.
Winchilsea was married three times:
Hatton, born at Kirby Hall
Kirby Hall
Kirby Hall is an Elizabethan country house, located near Gretton, Northamptonshire, England. . Construction on the building began in 1570 based on the designs in French architectural pattern books and expanded in the classical style over the course of the decades. The house is now in a semi-ruined...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, on 19 May 1791, was grandson of Edward Finch-Hatton, and son of George Finch-Hatton
George Finch-Hatton (MP for Rochester)
George Finch-Hatton was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1772 to 1784.Finch-Hatton was born George Finch, the son of the Honourable Edward Finch-Hatton, fifth son of Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea. He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ's College,...
(1747–1823) of Eastwell Park, near Ashford, Kent, M.P. for Rochester 1772–84, by his wife whom he married in 1785, Lady Elizabeth Murray
Lady Elizabeth Murray
Lady Elizabeth Mary Murray was the daughter of David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield. On her mother's death in 1766, she was brought up at Kenwood House by her father's brother William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield....
, eldest daughter of David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield
David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield
David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield KT, PC , known from 1748 to 1793 as The Viscount Stormont, was a British politician. He succeeded to both the Mansfield and Stormont lines of the Murray family, inheriting two titles and two fortunes.-Life:Mansfield was the son of David Murray, 6th Viscount of...
. She died 1 June 1825.
George William, the elder son, was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, where he proceeded B.A. in 1812. On 13 October 1809 he became a captain in the Ashford regiment of Kentish local militia, on 14 December 1819 commenced acting as a lieutenant of the Northamptonshire regiment of yeomanry, and on 7 September 1820 was named a deputy-lieutenant for the county of Kent. His cousin, George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea
George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea
George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea KG PC FRS was an important figure in the history of cricket. His main contributions to the game were patronage and organisation but Winchilsea, an amateur, was also a very keen player....
and fourth earl of Nottingham, having died on 2 August 1826, he succeeded to these peerages.
He presided at a very large and influential meeting held on Penenden Heath
Penenden Heath
Penenden Heath is a suburb in the town of Maidstone in Kent, England.As the name suggests it is nucleated around a former heath .-History:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, on 10 October 1828, when strongly worded resolutions in favour of Protestant principles were carried. In his place in 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....
he violently opposed almost every liberal measure which was brought forward. He was particularly noted as being almost the only English nobleman who was willing to identify himself with the Orange party in Ireland, and he was accustomed to denounce in frantic terms Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
, Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
, and the system of education carried out in that college.
Occasionally he took the chair at May meetings at Exeter Hall
Exeter Hall
Exeter Hall was a hall on the north side of The Strand, London, England. It was erected between 1829 and 1831 on the site of Exeter Exchange, to designs by John Peter Gandy, the brother of the visionary architect Joseph Michael Gandy...
, but his intemperate language prevented him from becoming a leader in evangelical politics. The Catholic Relief Bill
Catholic Relief Act 1829
The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 24 March 1829, and received Royal Assent on 13 April. It was the culmination of the process of Catholic Emancipation throughout the nation...
of 1829 encountered his most vehement hostility, and ultimately led to a duel with the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
. Lord Winchilsea, in a letter to the secretary of King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, wrote that the duke, "under the cloak of some coloured show of zeal for the Protestant religion, carried on an insidious design for the infringement of our liberties and the introduction of popery into every department of the state". The duke replied with a challenge. The meeting took place in Battersea Fields on 21 March 1829, the duke being attended by Sir Henry Hardinge, and his opponent by Edward Boscawen, 4th Viscount Falmouth. The duke fired and missed; he claimed he did so on purpose. However, the duke was known as a poor shot and accounts differ as to whether he purposefully missed. Winchilsea kept his arm by his side at the command to "fire" then quite deliberately raised his arm in the air and fired. He then apologised for the language of his letter. It is almost certain that Winchilsea and Falmouth had agreed on their course of action, as the letter of apology was already prepared.
He was a very frequent speaker in the Lords, and strenuously opposed the Reform Bill and other Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
measures. He was gazetted lieutenant-colonel commandant of the East Kent regiment of yeomanry 20 December 1830, named a deputy-lieutenant for the county of Lincoln 26 September 1831, and created a D.C.L. of Oxford 10 June 1834.
He died at Haverholme Priory
Haverholme Priory
Haverholme Priory was a monastery situated north-east of Sleaford, Lincolnshire, near Anwick.-Foundation:Gilbert of Sempringham founded the only English order of the Cistercian monks, who were given Haverholme Priory, by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, located between the villages of Anwick and...
, near Sleaford
Sleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, 8 January 1858.
He was the writer of a pamphlet entitled Earl of Winchilsea's Letter to the “Times,” calling upon the Protestants of Great Britain to unite heart and soul in addressing the Throne for a Dissolution of Parliament, 1851.
He was responsible for the phrase Kentish Fire
Kentish Fire
Kentish Fire is vehement and prolonged derisive cheering. The practice is so called from indulgence in it in Kent at meetings to oppose the Catholic Emancipation Bill .-References:...
meaning prolonged derisive cheering.
Winchilsea was married three times:
- first, on 26 July 1814, to Georgiana Charlotte, eldest daughter of James Graham, 3rd Duke of MontroseJames Graham, 3rd Duke of MontroseJames Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose KG, KT, PC , styled Marquess of Graham until 1790, was a Scottish nobleman and statesman.-Background:...
, she died at Haverholme Priory 13 February 1835; - secondly, on 15 February 1837, to Emily Georgiana, second daughter of Sir Charles Bagot, G.C.B., she died at Haverholme Priory 10 July 1848;
- thirdly, on 17 October 1849, to Fanny Margaretta, eldest daughter of Edward Royd Rice of Dane Court, Kent.