Sir Gerard Noel, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Gerard Noel Noel, 2nd Baronet (17 July 1759-25 February 1838), of Welham
Grove in Leicestershire
and Exton Park
in Rutland
, known as Gerard Edwardes until 1798, was an English Member of Parliament
.
. His father was the illegitimate son of Lord Anne Hamilton, younger son of James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton. He was educated at Eton
and St John's College, Cambridge
.
banking house. He entered Parliament in 1784 as member for Maidstone
. However, on the death of his cousin, Thomas Noel, MP for Rutland
, he resigned so as to be elected for that county (where the Noels had regularly held one of the seats for centuries). He represented Rutland (in two spells) for well over forty years. Initially a supporter of Pitt the Younger
, he was one of a group of MPs who in 1788 tried to form a third party independent of both Pitt and Charles James Fox
; in later years, however, he was a consistent Tory.
In 1798 he inherited the estates of his uncle, Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
(though not the peerage, which could not pass through the female line), and changed his surname to Noel. He served as High Sheriff of Rutland
for 1812.
, the Comptroller of the Navy. The following year Middleton was created a baronet
, with a special remainder to his new son-in-law should he have no sons of his own. Middleton later became First Lord of the Admiralty and was raised to a peerage as Lord Barham; he died on 17 June 1813 without male issue, and Noel consequently inherited his baronetcy, while Noel's wife inherited the peerage. They had at least fifteen children:
His second marriage, in 1823, was to Harriett Gill (d. 1826), and his third, in 1831, to Isabella Evans. Both these marriages were childless.
Welham, Leicestershire
Welham is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, north-east of Market Harborough. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Welland, which forms the border with the neighbouring county of Northamptonshire.According to the 2001 census...
Grove in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
and Exton Park
Exton, Rutland
Exton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.The village includes a tree-planted green overlooked by the Fox & Hounds pub....
in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, known as Gerard Edwardes until 1798, was an English Member of Parliament
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,...
.
Background
Born Gerard Edwardes, the son of Gerard Edwardes of Welham Grove and Lady Jane Noel, daughter of Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of GainsboroughBaptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough
Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough was an English peer and Member of Parliament, styled Viscount Campden until 1714.He was the son of Baptist Noel, 3rd Earl of Gainsborough and inherited the earldom in1714...
. His father was the illegitimate son of Lord Anne Hamilton, younger son of James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton. He 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 St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
.
Career
After finishing his education, Noel became partner in a WestminsterWestminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
banking house. He entered Parliament in 1784 as member for Maidstone
Maidstone (UK Parliament constituency)
Maidstone was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The parliamentary borough of Maidstone returned two Members of Parliament from 1552 until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member...
. However, on the death of his cousin, Thomas Noel, MP for Rutland
Rutland (UK Parliament constituency)
Rutland was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Rutland. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1918, when it became part of the Rutland and Stamford constituency, along with Stamford in Lincolnshire...
, he resigned so as to be elected for that county (where the Noels had regularly held one of the seats for centuries). He represented Rutland (in two spells) for well over forty years. Initially a supporter of 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...
, he was one of a group of MPs who in 1788 tried to form a third party independent of both Pitt and Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
; in later years, however, he was a consistent Tory.
In 1798 he inherited the estates of his uncle, Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough was an English peer.He inherited the earldom in 1759, on the death of his brother, Baptist Noel, 5th Earl of Gainsborough. He was the son of Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough....
(though not the peerage, which could not pass through the female line), and changed his surname to Noel. He served as High Sheriff of Rutland
High Sheriff of Rutland
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Rutland. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown: there has been a Sheriff of Rutland since 1129...
for 1812.
Family
Noel married three times. His first marriage, in 1780, was to Diana Middleton (d. 1823), daughter of Captain Charles MiddletonCharles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham
Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham PC was a British naval officer and politician.He was born at Leith, Midlothian to Robert Middleton, a customs collector of Bo'ness, Linlithgowshire, and Helen, daughter of Charles Dundas.-Naval career:Middleton entered the Royal Navy in 1741 as captain's...
, the Comptroller of the Navy. The following year Middleton was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, with a special remainder to his new son-in-law should he have no sons of his own. Middleton later became First Lord of the Admiralty and was raised to a peerage as Lord Barham; he died on 17 June 1813 without male issue, and Noel consequently inherited his baronetcy, while Noel's wife inherited the peerage. They had at least fifteen children:
- Charles Noel NoelCharles Noel, 1st Earl of GainsboroughCharles Noel Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough , known as Charles Edwardes until 1798, as Charles Noel between 1798 and 1823 and as the Lord Barham between 1823 and 1841, was a British peer and Whig politician....
(1781–1866), MP, who succeeded to his father's baronetcy and his mother's barony, later created Earl of Gainsborough - Rev. Gerard Thomas Noel (1782–1851), a canon of WinchesterWinchesterWinchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
- Major Horace Noel (1783–1807)
- Henry Robert Noel(1784–1800)
- William Middleton NoelWilliam Noel-Background:Noel was the third son of Sir Gerard Noel, 2nd Baronet, and Diana, Baroness Barham, daughter of Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham. Charles Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough, was his elder brother.-Political career:...
(1789–1859), MP for Rutland 1838-1840 - Captain Frederic Noel (1790–1833), a naval officer
- Rev. Francis James Noel (1793–1854), Rector of TestonTestonTeston is a village in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. It is located on the A26 road out of Maidstone, four miles from the town centre. There is a narrow stone bridge over the River Medway here....
and NettlesteadNettlestead, KentNettlestead is a village and civil parish on the road south-west of, and part of the borough of Maidstone. More than 800 people live in the parish...
in Kent - Berkeley Octavius Noel (1794–1841)
- Rev. Leland Noel (1797–1870), Vicar of ExtonExton, RutlandExton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.The village includes a tree-planted green overlooked by the Fox & Hounds pub....
- Baptist Wriothesley Noel (1799–1873)
- Louisa Elizabeth Noel (d. 1816), who married William Hoare (d. 1819)
- Emma Noel (d. 1873), who married Stafford O'Brien (d. 1864)
- Charlotte Margaret Noel (d. 1869), who married (first, in 1813) Thomas Welman and (second, in 1839) Thomas Thompson
- Augusta Julia Noel (d. 1833), who married Thomas Babington (d. 1871)
- Juliana Hicks Noel (d. 1855), who married Rev. Samuel Phillips
His second marriage, in 1823, was to Harriett Gill (d. 1826), and his third, in 1831, to Isabella Evans. Both these marriages were childless.