George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer
Encyclopedia
George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer KG
PC
FRS
FSA
(1 September 1758 – 10 November 1834), styled Viscount Althorp from 1765 to 1783, was a British Whig politician. He notably served as Home Secretary
from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents
.
, London
, the son of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer
and his wife Margaret Georgiana Poyntz, daughter of Stephen Poyntz, and was baptised there on the 16 October 1758. His godparents were King George II
, the Earl Cowper
(his grandmother's second husband) and his great-aunt the Dowager Viscountess Bateman. His sister Lady Georgiana married the Duke of Devonshire and became a famed Whig hostess. He was educated at Harrow School
from 1770 to 1775 and he won the school's Silver Arrow (an archery prize) in 1771. He then attended Trinity College, Cambridge
from 1776 to 1778 and graduated with a Master of Arts
. He acceded to the earldom upon the death of his father in 1783.
for Northampton
from 1780 to 1782 and Whig MP for Surrey
from 1782 to 1783. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1794 and served under William Pitt the Younger
as Lord Privy Seal
in 1794 and as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1794 to 1801. He was later Home Secretary
from 1806 to 1807 under Lord Grenville in the Ministry of All the Talents
.
from 1783 to 1807, Mayor of St Albans in 1790, President of the Royal Institution
from 1813 to 1825 and Commissioner of the Public Records in 1831. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1790 and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1799
.
.
, on 6 March 1781. They had nine children:
Lady Spencer died in June 1831, aged 68. Lord Spencer survived her by three years and died in November 1834, aged 76, at Althorp, and was buried in the nearby village of Great Brington
on 19 November of that year.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(1 September 1758 – 10 November 1834), styled Viscount Althorp from 1765 to 1783, was a British Whig politician. He notably served as Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
from 1806 to 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents
Ministry of All the Talents
The Ministry of All the Talents was a national unity government formed by William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 11 February 1806 after the death of William Pitt the Younger...
.
Background and education
Lord Spencer was born at Wimbledon ParkWimbledon Park
Wimbledon Park is an urban park in Wimbledon and the suburb south and east to which it lends its name. It is the second largest park in the London Borough of Merton and also gives its name to Wimbledon Park tube station. To the immediate west of the park resides the All England Lawn Tennis and...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer
John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer
John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer was a British peer and politician.Spencer was born in 1734, at his family home, Althorp. He was the son of Hon. John Spencer and Georgiana Carolina Carteret , and a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland...
and his wife Margaret Georgiana Poyntz, daughter of Stephen Poyntz, and was baptised there on the 16 October 1758. His godparents were King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, the Earl Cowper
William Clavering-Cowper, 2nd Earl Cowper
William Clavering-Cowper, 2nd Earl Cowper , styled Viscount Fordwich between 1718 and 1723, was a British peer and courtier....
(his grandmother's second husband) and his great-aunt the Dowager Viscountess Bateman. His sister Lady Georgiana married the Duke of Devonshire and became a famed Whig hostess. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
from 1770 to 1775 and he won the school's Silver Arrow (an archery prize) in 1771. He then attended Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
from 1776 to 1778 and graduated with a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
. He acceded to the earldom upon the death of his father in 1783.
Political career
Lord Spencer was Whig 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 Northampton
Northampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Northampton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Northampton which existed until 1974.It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was reduced to one member for the 1918 general election...
from 1780 to 1782 and Whig MP for Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
from 1782 to 1783. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1794 and served under William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
as Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
in 1794 and as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1794 to 1801. He was later Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
from 1806 to 1807 under Lord Grenville in the Ministry of All the Talents
Ministry of All the Talents
The Ministry of All the Talents was a national unity government formed by William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 11 February 1806 after the death of William Pitt the Younger...
.
Other public positions
Lord Spencer was also High Steward of St AlbansSt Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
from 1783 to 1807, Mayor of St Albans in 1790, President of the Royal Institution
Royal Institution
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is an organization devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.-Overview:...
from 1813 to 1825 and Commissioner of the Public Records in 1831. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1790 and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1799
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
.
Book collecting
He was noted for his interest in literature and particularly in early examples of printing. His collection of some 40,000 volumes was put up for sale in 1892 and acquired by Mrs Rylands for the John Rylands LibraryJohn Rylands Library
The John Rylands Library is a Victorian Gothic building on Deansgate in Manchester, England. The library, which opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Mrs Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her late husband, John Rylands...
.
Family
Lord Spencer married Lady Lavinia Bingham (1762–1831), daughter of Charles Bingham, 1st Earl of LucanCharles Bingham, 1st Earl of Lucan
Charles Bingham, 1st Earl of Lucan , known as Sir Charles Bingham, 7th Baronet from 1750 until 1776, was an Irish peer and politician.- Background :...
, on 6 March 1781. They had nine children:
- John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl SpencerJohn Spencer, 3rd Earl SpencerJohn Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer PC, FRS , styled Viscount Althorp from 1783 to 1834, was a British statesman...
(1782–1845) - Lady Sarah SpencerSarah Lyttelton, Baroness LytteltonSarah Lyttelton, Baroness Lyttelton was a British courtier, governess to Edward VII of the United Kingdom and wife of William Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton....
(1787–1870), married William Lyttelton, 3rd Baron LytteltonWilliam Lyttelton, 3rd Baron LytteltonWilliam Henry Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton , was the son of William Henry Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton by his second marriage to Caroline Bristow. He married Lady Sarah Spencer daughter of George John, 2nd Earl Spencer, by whom he had several children including his heir....
and had issue. - Hon. Richard Spencer (1789–1791), died in infancy.
- Captain Hon. Sir Robert Cavendish Spencer (1791–1830), died unmarried.
- Hon. William Spencer (b. & d. 1792), died in infancy.
- Lady Harriet Spencer (b. & d. 1793), died in infancy.
- Lady Georgiana Charlotte Spencer (1794–1823), married George Quin, son of Thomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of HeadfortThomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of HeadfortThomas Taylour, 1st Marquess of Headfort KP , styled Viscount Headford from 1766 to 1795, and known as Thomas Taylour, 2nd Earl of Bective from 1795 to 1800, was an Irish peer and politician....
and had issue. - Vice-Admiral Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl SpencerFrederick Spencer, 4th Earl SpencerVice-Admiral Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer KG, CB, PC , styled The Honourable Frederick Spencer until 1845, was a British naval commander, courtier and Whig politician. He initially served in the Royal Navy and fought in the Napoleonic Wars and the Greek War of Independence, eventually rising...
(1798–1857) - The Very Reverend Hon. George Spencer (later known as Father Ignatius Spencer (1799–1864), died unmarried.
Lady Spencer died in June 1831, aged 68. Lord Spencer survived her by three years and died in November 1834, aged 76, at Althorp, and was buried in the nearby village of Great Brington
Great Brington
Great Brington is a village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. The village, in the civil parish of Brington, has a population of about 200. The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and St John....
on 19 November of that year.