Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet (d. 21 August 1698) was an English
Whig politician and baronet.
and his first wife Mary Hampden, daughter of John Hampden
. Hobart was knighted in Blickling
by King Charles II of England in 1671 and succeeded his father as baronet in 1683.
in 1681, sitting for it until 1685. He represented Thetford
from January to February 1689 and subsequently Norfolk
until 1690. Hobart was Gentleman of the Horse
to King William III of England
and fought under him in the Battle of the Boyne
and a year later, he was appointed Vice-Admiral of Norfolk. In 1694, he was elected for Bere Alston
, a seat he held until the following year, when he was returned again for Norfolk until his death in 1698.
, and had by her a son and three daughters.
Hobart was killed in a duel with Oliver Le Neve in Cawston Heath
20 August 1698 and was buried at Thetford
. This was the last duel in Norfolk. His opponent was found guilty of manslaughter
. Le Neve fled to Holland, but was later pardoned. Hobart was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son John
, later raised to the peerage as Earl of Buckinghamshire
. Oliver Le Neve was a lawyer from Great Witchingham
was known as a great sportsman and a great drinker. He fought left-handed and was soon wounded in the arm by Sir Henry who had a reputation as a swordsman. However, Le Neve then struck back and injured his opponent so badly that he died next day at Blickling. As there appear to have been no seconds or witnesses, the duel was illegal. Le Neve fled to Holland but returned to England two years later, having received a pardon. It is said locally that details of the duel came from a girl who was hiding in the bushes, and tales are still told of this unfortunate event which is commemorated by the Duel Stone which stands in a small National Trust
plot near the Woodrow Garage, Norwich Road, Cawston.
His eldest daughter Henrietta
was a mistress of King George II of Great Britain. The second daughter Catherine married George Churchill, son of Admiral George Churchill.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Whig politician and baronet.
Background
He was the oldest son of Sir John Hobart, 3rd BaronetSir John Hobart, 3rd Baronet
Sir John Hobart, 3rd Baronet was an English politician.He was the son of Sir Miles Hobart , and his wife Frances Peyton, daughter of Sir John Peyton, 1st Baronet, and was born in Ditchingham...
and his first wife Mary Hampden, daughter of John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
. Hobart was knighted in Blickling
Blickling
Blickling is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England, about north-west of Aylsham on the B1354 road. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 136 and covers . Since the 17th century the village has been concentrated in two areas, around the church and...
by King Charles II of England in 1671 and succeeded his father as baronet in 1683.
Career
Hobart entered the English House of Commons for King's LynnKing's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk, known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and one member thereafter. Until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, after which the name...
in 1681, sitting for it until 1685. He represented Thetford
Thetford (UK Parliament constituency)
Thetford was a constituency of the British House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1868...
from January to February 1689 and subsequently Norfolk
Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
Norfolk was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
until 1690. Hobart was Gentleman of the Horse
Gentleman of the Horse
Gentleman of the Horse was a position in the stables department of the British Royal Court, subordinate only to the Master of Horse. It occurs from 1693 until abolished in 1782, with a salary of £256.The post was revived in 1828, with a salary of £500...
to King William III of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and fought under him in the Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
and a year later, he was appointed Vice-Admiral of Norfolk. In 1694, he was elected for Bere Alston
Bere Alston (UK Parliament constituency)
Bere Alston or Beeralston was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act as a rotten borough.-History:...
, a seat he held until the following year, when he was returned again for Norfolk until his death in 1698.
Family
On 9 July 1684, he married Elizabeth Maynard, eldest daughter of Sir Joseph MaynardJohn Maynard (MP)
Sir John Maynard KS was an English lawyer and politician, prominent under the reigns of Charles I, the Commonwealth, Charles II, James II and William III.-Origins and education:...
, and had by her a son and three daughters.
Cawston, Norfolk
Cawston is a small village located approximately North of Norwich, off the B1149 main road to Holt. Nearby villages are Reepham and Aylsham.-Church of St Agnes:...
20 August 1698 and was buried at Thetford
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:...
. This was the last duel in Norfolk. His opponent was found guilty of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. Le Neve fled to Holland, but was later pardoned. Hobart was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son John
John Hobart, 1st Earl of Buckinghamshire
John Hobart, 1st Earl of Buckinghamshire, KB, PC was a British peer.Hobart was the son of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet and he inherited his father's title when the latter was killed in a duel in 1698...
, later raised to the peerage as Earl of Buckinghamshire
Earl of Buckinghamshire
Earl of Buckinghamshire is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1746 for John Hobart, 1st Baron Hobart. The Hobart family descends from Henry Hobart, who served as Attorney General and Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. In 1611 he was created a Baronet, of Intwood in the...
. Oliver Le Neve was a lawyer from Great Witchingham
Great Witchingham
Great Witchingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk about north-west of Norwich.It covers an area of and had a population of 564 in 235 households as of the 2001 census....
was known as a great sportsman and a great drinker. He fought left-handed and was soon wounded in the arm by Sir Henry who had a reputation as a swordsman. However, Le Neve then struck back and injured his opponent so badly that he died next day at Blickling. As there appear to have been no seconds or witnesses, the duel was illegal. Le Neve fled to Holland but returned to England two years later, having received a pardon. It is said locally that details of the duel came from a girl who was hiding in the bushes, and tales are still told of this unfortunate event which is commemorated by the Duel Stone which stands in a small National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
plot near the Woodrow Garage, Norwich Road, Cawston.
His eldest daughter Henrietta
Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk
Henrietta Howard was a mistress of King George II of Great Britain.She was the daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet, a Norfolk landowner who was killed in a duel when Henrietta was aged eight...
was a mistress of King George II of Great Britain. The second daughter Catherine married George Churchill, son of Admiral George Churchill.