William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley
Encyclopedia
William Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley , styled Lord William Cholmondeley from 1815 until 1870, was a British
peer and Conservative
Member of Parliament
.
, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain
. He was the younger son of George James Cholmondeley, who had been created the first Marquess of Cholmondeley
in 1815. His mother was the former Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, second daughter and co-heir of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
.
Cholmondeley's elder brother, George
, succeeded to his father's title in 1827; and he became the 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley. However, when he died without issue in 1870, the title passed to his younger brother. Like his grandfather, and his elder brother, Cholmondeley was educated at Eton
. In 1818, he matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford
.
for Castle Rising
, a seat he held until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act
. He remained out of Parliament for the next twenty years. In 1852, Cholmondeley was again successful for South Hampshire, representing it for the next five years until 1857.
In 1870, Cholmondeley acceded to his elder brother's title as the third Marquess of Cholmondeley; and he entered the House of Lords
.
, at Cholmondeley House, which was then in Piccadilly, London. The children of that marriage were:
Cholmondeley's wife died in 1878. Six years after her death, he died aged 84 in December 1884. As both sons had died before him, Cholmondeley was succeeded in his titles by his grandson George
, who was eldest living son of the former Viscount Malpas.
The family seats are Houghton Hall
, Norfolk
, and Cholmondeley Castle
, which is surrounded by a 7500 acres (30.4 km²) estate near Malpas, Cheshire
.
The marquis was a teetotal Quaker and closed all the alehouses on the estate.
part of the ancient office of Lord Great Chamberlain
is a Colmondeley inheritance. This hereditary honour came into the Cholmondeley family through the marriage of the first Marquess of Cholmondeley to Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
. The second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holders of the marquessate have all held this office; but Lord William did not take on the responsibilities of this court function.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
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
Cholmondeley was a direct descendant of Sir Robert WalpoleRobert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. He was the younger son of George James Cholmondeley, who had been created the first Marquess of Cholmondeley
Marquess of Cholmondeley
Marquess of Cholmondeley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley. Each Marquess of Cholmondeley is a descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
in 1815. His mother was the former Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, second daughter and co-heir of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 3rd Marquess of Lindsey, 6th Earl of Lindsey, 19th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC was the son of Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven....
.
Cholmondeley's elder brother, George
George Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley
George Horatio Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley PC , styled Viscount Malpas from 1792 to 1815 and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage to 1827 was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1838 and 1870...
, succeeded to his father's title in 1827; and he became the 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley. However, when he died without issue in 1870, the title passed to his younger brother. Like his grandfather, and his elder brother, Cholmondeley 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"....
. In 1818, he matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Career
In 1822, Cholmondeley was elected to the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Castle Rising
Castle Rising (UK Parliament constituency)
Castle Rising was a parliamentary borough in Norfolk, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1558 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
, a seat he held until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
. He remained out of Parliament for the next twenty years. In 1852, Cholmondeley was again successful for South Hampshire, representing it for the next five years until 1857.
In 1870, Cholmondeley acceded to his elder brother's title as the third Marquess of Cholmondeley; and he entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Family
On 28 February 1825, Cholmondeley married Marcia Emma Georgiana Arbuthnot, daughter of Charles ArbuthnotCharles Arbuthnot
Charles Arbuthnot was a British diplomat and Tory politician. He was Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire between 1804 and 1807 and held a number of political offices. He was a good friend of the Duke of Wellington...
, at Cholmondeley House, which was then in Piccadilly, London. The children of that marriage were:
- Lady Marcia Charlotte Emma (22 November 1826–7 April 1828).
- Lady Charlotte Georgiana (4 February 1828–17 August 1912).
- Charles George, Viscount Malpas (9 July 1829–7 December 1869).
- Lady Marcia Susan Harriet (18 April 1831–10 June 1927).
- Lord Henry Vere (4 October 1834–25 February 1882).
- Lady Emma Caroline (11 November 1837–26 January 1839).
- Lady Caroline Rachel (4 July 1840–11 March 1863).
Cholmondeley's wife died in 1878. Six years after her death, he died aged 84 in December 1884. As both sons had died before him, Cholmondeley was succeeded in his titles by his grandson George
George Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley
George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley PC, DL was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1884 and 1923.-Background:...
, who was eldest living son of the former Viscount Malpas.
Lands and estates
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. It was built for the de facto first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, and it is a key building in the history of Palladian architecture in England...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and Cholmondeley Castle
Cholmondeley Castle
Cholmondeley Castle is a country house in the civil parish of Cholmondeley, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. It is surrounded by a estate.-House:...
, which is surrounded by a 7500 acres (30.4 km²) estate near Malpas, Cheshire
Malpas, Cheshire
Malpas is a large village which used to be a market town, and it is also a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The parish lies on the border with Shropshire and Wales...
.
The marquis was a teetotal Quaker and closed all the alehouses on the estate.
Position at court
One moietyMoiety title
Moiety title is legal term describing a portion other than a whole of ownership of property. The word derives from Old French moitié meaning "half" , from Latin medietas "middle", from medius....
part of the ancient office of Lord Great Chamberlain
Lord Great Chamberlain
The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable...
is a Colmondeley inheritance. This hereditary honour came into the Cholmondeley family through the marriage of the first Marquess of Cholmondeley to Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 3rd Marquess of Lindsey, 6th Earl of Lindsey, 19th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC was the son of Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven....
. The second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holders of the marquessate have all held this office; but Lord William did not take on the responsibilities of this court function.