Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington
Encyclopedia
Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington PC (c. 1708-14 January 1772), was the Lord Chancellor
of Great Britain
. He was a member of the Whig Party
in the parliament and was known for his wit and writing.
in Hampshire
which was built by Sir Robert Henley by Inigo Jones. Henley's father Robert Henley was educated at Oxford and was interested in literature. When arriving in London, he was the friend of the Earls of Dorset and Sunderland, and friends to Swift, the Pope
, and Burnet. After becoming a married man, Anthony Henley became a chosen member in Andover of the parliament in 1698. He died in August, 1711 and was succeeded by his eldest, Anthony; the second, Robert; and his youngest son, Bertie who died in 1760.
and attended the St. John's College in Oxford.
ascended to power, Henley came Lord Chancellor
and then Viscount Henley and Earl of Northington in 1764.
The delay in raising him to the peerage was due to the hostility of George II
, who resented Henley's former support of the Prince of Wales's
faction, known as the Leicester House
party; and it was in order that he might preside as Lord High Steward
at the trial of the Earl Ferrers for murder in 1760 that he then received his patent. He resigned from his position in 1767. At his residence in Hampshire, he died on January 14, 1772.
. He had three sons and five daughters. The names of his daughters were as followed: Lady Catherine Henley (d. 9 Jan, 179) , Lady Bridget Henley (d. 13 March 1796) , Jane Henley (d. February 1823) , Lady Elizabeth Henley (d. 20 August 1821) , Mary Henley (b. 1753 - d. 1814).
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He was a member of the Whig Party
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...
in the parliament and was known for his wit and writing.
Family
Henley's grandfather, Sir Robert Henley, was Master of the Court of the King's Bench. He was essentially a defense lawyer. Henley inherited an estate in the GrangeGrange
-Buildings:* Grange House , Bo'ness, Scotland, built in 1564, and demolished in 1906* Hamilton Grange National Memorial, a historic house in New York City...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
which was built by Sir Robert Henley by Inigo Jones. Henley's father Robert Henley was educated at Oxford and was interested in literature. When arriving in London, he was the friend of the Earls of Dorset and Sunderland, and friends to Swift, the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, and Burnet. After becoming a married man, Anthony Henley became a chosen member in Andover of the parliament in 1698. He died in August, 1711 and was succeeded by his eldest, Anthony; the second, Robert; and his youngest son, Bertie who died in 1760.
Early life
Born the second son of Anthony Henley, Robert Henley was from a wealthy family in Hampshire. Henly was educated at Westminster SchoolWestminster 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 attended the St. John's College in Oxford.
Career
Robert Henley gained a fellowship at the All Souls College and was called to the bar on 23 June 1732. He was elected a parliament member of Bath, Somerset in 1747 and became recorder in 1751. He was appointed Attorney General in 1756 and was promoted the next year to Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. He was the last person to receive this title. Although as Lord Keeper he presided over the House of Lords, he was not made a peer until 1760 when he became Baron Henley of Grange in the County of Southampton in Hampshire. When George IIIGeorge III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
ascended to power, Henley came Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
and then Viscount Henley and Earl of Northington in 1764.
The delay in raising him to the peerage was due to the hostility of 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...
, who resented Henley's former support of the Prince of Wales's
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
faction, known as the Leicester House
Leicester House
There have been two mansions in London, England called Leicester House:*A house in the Strand near the Temple: Leicester House, Strand. This existed in the Tudor period, and possibly earlier ....
party; and it was in order that he might preside as Lord High Steward
Lord High Steward
The position of Lord High Steward of England is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord...
at the trial of the Earl Ferrers for murder in 1760 that he then received his patent. He resigned from his position in 1767. At his residence in Hampshire, he died on January 14, 1772.
Personal life
In 1743, Henley married Jane Huband who was the daughter of Sir John Huband of Ipsley of WarwickshireWarwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. He had three sons and five daughters. The names of his daughters were as followed: Lady Catherine Henley (d. 9 Jan, 179) , Lady Bridget Henley (d. 13 March 1796) , Jane Henley (d. February 1823) , Lady Elizabeth Henley (d. 20 August 1821) , Mary Henley (b. 1753 - d. 1814).