Richard Lumley, 2nd Earl of Scarbrough
Encyclopedia
Richard Lumley, 2nd Earl of Scarbrough, KG
, PC (30 November 1686 – 29 January 1740) was a British
, Whig
politician, known as Lord Lumley from 1710-21.
The second son of the 1st Earl of Scarbrough
, Lumley was educated at Eton
and King's College, Cambridge
. In 1708, he entered Parliament
as MP
for East Grinstead
and took over from his recently deceased, elder brother as MP for Arundel
in 1710. In 1715, he was called to the House of Lords
in his father's barony of Lumley
and fought against the Jacobites
at Preston, Lancashire that year.
On 2 May 1721 he stood as proxy for Ernest, Duke of York at the baptism of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland.
After inheriting his father's titles in 1721, Scarbrough became Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
and Colonel of the Coldstream Guards
in 1722 and Master of the Horse
in 1727, having been made a Knight of the Garter
and admitted to the Privy Council
. In 1739, he was one of the founding governors for the Foundling Hospital
in London
.
In 1740, Lord Scarbrough committed suicide by shooting himself through the roof of the mouth; at the time of his death it was rumoured to have been brought on by a mental disorder he developed from a knock on the head when he had an accident in his carriage a few days before. This, however, seems to have been a story circulated by his friends to disguise the truth of the matter. He had been due to marry the dowager Duchess of Manchester, but she had betrayed a secret sensitive to the King, told to her by the Earl. The King, on discovering the error in judgement by his minister, proclaimed, "Lumley, you have lost a friend and I a good servant." It is thought that the honourable Earl could not bear this dis-honour and took his own life as a direct result of the Duchess disclosing what he had told her in confidence.
Far from being an act resulting from mental disorder, there is contemporary evidence that he knew full well what he was doing. Books were discovered at the scene of his death laid open at specific places for the benefit of close friends.
He was buried on 4 February 1740 in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street, Mayfair. The chapel stands today much as it did in 1740, despite there being no marker for the Earl.
Dying unmarried and without male issue, his titles passed to his brother, Thomas.
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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 (30 November 1686 – 29 January 1740) was a British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
, 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...
politician, known as Lord Lumley from 1710-21.
The second son of the 1st Earl of Scarbrough
Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough
Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough was an English soldier and statesman best known for his role in the Glorious Revolution.-Origins:...
, Lumley was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
. In 1708, he entered Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
as MP
Member 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 East Grinstead
East Grinstead (UK Parliament constituency)
East Grinstead was a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. It first existed as a Parliamentary borough from 1307, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons elected by the bloc vote system...
and took over from his recently deceased, elder brother as MP for Arundel
Arundel (UK Parliament constituency)
Arundel was twice a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The first incarnation strictly comprised the town centre of Arundel and was a borough constituency first enfranchised in 1332 and disfranchised in 1868 under the Reform...
in 1710. In 1715, he was called to the House of Lords
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 Lumley
Baron Lumley
There have been four creations of the title Baron Lumley, all in the Peerage of England:The first creation was in 1384 for Sir Ralph Lumley but after being beheaded by the citizens of Cirencester for his part in the Epiphany Rising, he was posthumously attainted and his title forfeit.The next...
and fought against the Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
at Preston, Lancashire that year.
On 2 May 1721 he stood as proxy for Ernest, Duke of York at the baptism of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland.
After inheriting his father's titles in 1721, Scarbrough became Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland. Since 1802, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland.*Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland*Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland ?–1489...
and Colonel of the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
in 1722 and Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
in 1727, having been made a Knight of the Garter
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...
and admitted to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
. In 1739, he was one of the founding governors for the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
in 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...
.
In 1740, Lord Scarbrough committed suicide by shooting himself through the roof of the mouth; at the time of his death it was rumoured to have been brought on by a mental disorder he developed from a knock on the head when he had an accident in his carriage a few days before. This, however, seems to have been a story circulated by his friends to disguise the truth of the matter. He had been due to marry the dowager Duchess of Manchester, but she had betrayed a secret sensitive to the King, told to her by the Earl. The King, on discovering the error in judgement by his minister, proclaimed, "Lumley, you have lost a friend and I a good servant." It is thought that the honourable Earl could not bear this dis-honour and took his own life as a direct result of the Duchess disclosing what he had told her in confidence.
Far from being an act resulting from mental disorder, there is contemporary evidence that he knew full well what he was doing. Books were discovered at the scene of his death laid open at specific places for the benefit of close friends.
He was buried on 4 February 1740 in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street, Mayfair. The chapel stands today much as it did in 1740, despite there being no marker for the Earl.
Dying unmarried and without male issue, his titles passed to his brother, Thomas.
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