Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke
Encyclopedia
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, 7th Earl of Montgomery (3 July 1734 – 26 January 1794) was the son of the ninth earl of Pembroke, and was named after his father.
, and was styled Lord Herbert until he succeeded to his earldoms in 1750. He then became Lieutenant-General in the Army, with the Colonelcy of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons
, coming to be an authority on breaking cavalry horses (in 1755 building an indoor Riding School at Wilton House
and commissioning 55 paintings of military riding exercises which now hang in the Large Smoking Room, Wilton).
On 23 March 1756 he married the 19 year-old Lady Elizabeth Spencer (January/March 1737-30 April 1831), daughter of Charles Spencer
and Elizabeth Trevor.
He bought 40 Queen Anne St, Marylebone
(near Oxford Street
), London, using "it as a London town-house only during the Season". This must have been before 1760, since early that year he was despatched with his regiment to Germany to take part in the Seven Years' War
as Major-General in command of the Cavalry Brigade in Germany until the following year. In 1761 he wrote the British Army's manual on riding, Military Equitation: or A Method of Breaking Horses, and Teaching Soldiers to Ride - this had already reached a 4th edition by 1793, and his methods were adopted throughout the British cavalry.
He returned to England in January 1762, immediately meeting Kitty Hunter, leaving a note for his wife, disguising himself as a sailor and eloping to the Low Countries
with Kitty. Horace Walpole commented that "As Pembroke a horseman by most is accounted, /'Tis not strange that his Lordship a [Kitty] Hunter has mounted." Henry was however soon recalled to the Army in Germany, with the pregnant Kitty returning to England and on 23 November 1762 giving birth to their child Augustus Retnuh Reebkomp (later Montgomery - baptised on 25th, with a middle name as Hunter backwards and his surname an anagram of Pembroke). Henry returned to England February the following year and was reconciled to his wife that March.
Henry had another affair on the Continent, in Venice in 1768, apparently carrying the lady off on the very night of her wedding to someone else. She gave birth to their illegitimate child Caroline Medkaff that year or the next.
Henry was appointed a Lord of the Bedchamber
to George III in 1769, and advanced to the rank of General in 1782. He died at Wilton at the age of 59.
Biography
He was educated at Eton CollegeEton 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 was styled Lord Herbert until he succeeded to his earldoms in 1750. He then became Lieutenant-General in the Army, with the Colonelcy of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons
1st King's Dragoon Guards
The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1685 as The Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed The King's Own Regiment of Horse in 1714 in honour of George I...
, coming to be an authority on breaking cavalry horses (in 1755 building an indoor Riding School at Wilton House
Wilton House
Wilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years....
and commissioning 55 paintings of military riding exercises which now hang in the Large Smoking Room, Wilton).
On 23 March 1756 he married the 19 year-old Lady Elizabeth Spencer (January/March 1737-30 April 1831), daughter of Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , known as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier and politician. He briefly served as Lord Privy Seal in 1755...
and Elizabeth Trevor.
He bought 40 Queen Anne St, Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
(near Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
), London, using "it as a London town-house only during the Season". This must have been before 1760, since early that year he was despatched with his regiment to Germany to take part in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
as Major-General in command of the Cavalry Brigade in Germany until the following year. In 1761 he wrote the British Army's manual on riding, Military Equitation: or A Method of Breaking Horses, and Teaching Soldiers to Ride - this had already reached a 4th edition by 1793, and his methods were adopted throughout the British cavalry.
He returned to England in January 1762, immediately meeting Kitty Hunter, leaving a note for his wife, disguising himself as a sailor and eloping to the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
with Kitty. Horace Walpole commented that "As Pembroke a horseman by most is accounted, /'Tis not strange that his Lordship a [Kitty] Hunter has mounted." Henry was however soon recalled to the Army in Germany, with the pregnant Kitty returning to England and on 23 November 1762 giving birth to their child Augustus Retnuh Reebkomp (later Montgomery - baptised on 25th, with a middle name as Hunter backwards and his surname an anagram of Pembroke). Henry returned to England February the following year and was reconciled to his wife that March.
Henry had another affair on the Continent, in Venice in 1768, apparently carrying the lady off on the very night of her wedding to someone else. She gave birth to their illegitimate child Caroline Medkaff that year or the next.
Henry was appointed a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
to George III in 1769, and advanced to the rank of General in 1782. He died at Wilton at the age of 59.
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke, 8th Earl of Montgomery George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke General George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke and 8th Earl of Montgomery, KG, PC was a British peer, army officer and politician.-Early life:... |
10 September 1759 | 26 October 1827 | married firstly in 1787, Elizabeth Beauclerk and had issue; married secondly in 1808, Countess Catherine Romanovitch and had issue. |
| Augustus Retnuh Reebkomp-Montgomery | 23 November 1762 | illegitimate with Kitty Hunter. | |
| Charlotte Herbert | 14 July 1773 | 21 April 1784 | died from consumption at age 10. |
| Caroline Medkaff | c.1768/1769 | illegitimate |
Trivia
- 40 Queen Anne St, London W1G 9EL, is now offices of Lewis Golden and Co.
- Captain Cook's famous ship, the HMS EndeavourHM Bark EndeavourHMS Endeavour, also known as HM Bark Endeavour, was a British Royal Navy research vessel commanded by Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage of discovery, to Australia and New Zealand from 1769 to 1771....
, was formerly MS Earl of Pembroke, launched 1765 and so named after this earl.
Sources
- Images of Kitty Hunter
- Henry, Elizabeth and George: Letters and Diaries of Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke and his Circle (1734-80), 16th Earl, 1939, repub as: The Pembroke Papers vol. I (1734-80), 1942-50.
- The Pembroke Papers vol. II (1780-94), 16th Earl, 1950, [EUL] 9(42073) Pem.