William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire
Encyclopedia
William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire KG
, PC
(27 April 1808 – 21 December 1891), styled as Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1831 and 1834 and known as The Earl of Burlington between 1834 and 1858, was a British
landowner
, benefactor and politician
.
, eldest son of George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington
, third son of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
and Lady Charlotte Boyle, daughter of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
. His mother was the Honourable Louisa O'Callaghan (d. 1863), daughter of Cornelius O'Callaghan, 1st Baron Lismore. He was educated at Eton
and the University of Cambridge
(Trinity College
). He became known by the courtesy title
Lord Cavendish of Keighley in 1831 when the earldom of Burlington was revived in favour of his grandfather.
in 1829, a seat he held until July 1831, when he was returned for Malton
. He only sat for Malton until September of the same year and was out of the House of Commons until 1832, when he was returned for North Derbyshire
. He succeeded his grandfather in the earldom of Burlington in 1834 and entered the House of Lords
. In 1858 he also succeeded his cousin as Duke of Devonshire
. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire from 1857 to 1891 and Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire from 1858 to 1891.
Devonshire was Chancellor of the University of London from 1836 to 1856, and then Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1861 to 1891. At Cambridge he endowed the building of the Cavendish Laboratory
, and it was named after him. He made vast (and ultimately unsuccessful) investments in heavy industry at Barrow-in-Furness
, and had his nearby country house Holker Hall
rebuilt in its present form after it was gutted by a fire in 1871. The 7th Duke inherited a considerable amount of property in Eastbourne
from his grandfather, and his wife Elizabeth Compton of Compton Place
. He saw through the development of Eastbourne in the 19th century with its parks, baths and squares and is commemorated by a statue at the top of Devonshire Place.
, known at the "Bachelor Duke", in 1829. Blanche was the Bachelor Duke's favourite niece, and his fondness for the young couple who were his heirs may have contributed to his decision not to marry himself. He commemorated Blanche with an inscription in the Painted Hall at Chatsworth, which states that he completed his reconstruction of the house in the year of his bereavement, 1840, and by Blanche's Urn at the top of the Long Walk in the garden.
The Duke's three surviving sons became distinguished politicians; the eldest, known after 1858 by the courtesy title Marquess of Hartington
, led the Liberal Party
and was asked three times to be Prime Minister by Queen Victoria
; Lord Frederick Cavendish
was briefly Chief Secretary for Ireland
and was assassinated in 1882; Lord Edward Cavendish
was MP for West Derbyshire
. He also had one son, Hon. William (8 October 1831 – 15 May 1834) who died as an infant, and a daughter, Lady Louisa Caroline (d. 21 September 1907), who married Admiral the Honourable Francis Egerton.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(27 April 1808 – 21 December 1891), styled as Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1831 and 1834 and known as The Earl of Burlington between 1834 and 1858, was a British
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...
landowner
Land tenure
Land tenure is the name given, particularly in common law systems, to the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to "hold" the land . The sovereign monarch, known as The Crown, held land in its own right. All private owners are either its tenants or sub-tenants...
, benefactor and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Background and education
Cavendish was the son of William CavendishWilliam Cavendish (1783-1812)
William Cavendish was an English politician, the son of Lord George Cavendish, later Earl of Burlington....
, eldest son of George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington
George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington
George Augustus Henry Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington , styled Lord George Cavendish before 1831, was a British politician.-Background:...
, third son of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, KG, PC , styled Lord Cavendish before 1729 and Marquess of Hartington between 1729 and 1755, was a British Whig statesman who was briefly nominal Prime Minister of Great Britain...
and Lady Charlotte Boyle, daughter of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork PC , born in Yorkshire, England, was the son of Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington and 3rd Earl of Cork...
. His mother was the Honourable Louisa O'Callaghan (d. 1863), daughter of Cornelius O'Callaghan, 1st Baron Lismore. 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 the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
). He became known by the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
Lord Cavendish of Keighley in 1831 when the earldom of Burlington was revived in favour of his grandfather.
Career
Cavendish was returned to parliament as the MP for Cambridge UniversityCambridge University (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Election Systems:...
in 1829, a seat he held until July 1831, when he was returned for Malton
Malton (UK Parliament constituency)
Malton, also called New Malton, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England in 1295 and 1298, and again from 1640, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885...
. He only sat for Malton until September of the same year and was out of the House of Commons until 1832, when he was returned for North Derbyshire
North Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Derbyshire was a Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom constituencies. It originally returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He succeeded his grandfather in the earldom of Burlington in 1834 and 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....
. In 1858 he also succeeded his cousin as Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire from 1857 to 1891 and Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire from 1858 to 1891.
Devonshire was Chancellor of the University of London from 1836 to 1856, and then Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1861 to 1891. At Cambridge he endowed the building of the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
, and it was named after him. He made vast (and ultimately unsuccessful) investments in heavy industry at Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, and had his nearby country house Holker Hall
Holker Hall
Holker Hall is a country house with a celebrated garden situated on the Cartmel Peninsula, which was historically part of the county of Lancashire, but is now part of the county of Cumbria....
rebuilt in its present form after it was gutted by a fire in 1871. The 7th Duke inherited a considerable amount of property in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
from his grandfather, and his wife Elizabeth Compton of Compton Place
Compton Place
Compton Place is an English country house in Eastbourne, a town and borough in East Sussex. It was rebuilt for Sir Spencer Compton, to designs by Colen Campbell from 1726, and completed after Campbell's death by William Kent. The Elizabethan-Jacobean house called Bourne Place had Spencer Compton,...
. He saw through the development of Eastbourne in the 19th century with its parks, baths and squares and is commemorated by a statue at the top of Devonshire Place.
Family
Devonshire married Blanche Georgiana Howard (11 January 1812 - 27 April 1840), daughter of George Howard and Georgiana Cavendish, sister of the 6th Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire KG, PC , styled Marquess of Hartington until 1811, was a British peer, courtier and Whig politician...
, known at the "Bachelor Duke", in 1829. Blanche was the Bachelor Duke's favourite niece, and his fondness for the young couple who were his heirs may have contributed to his decision not to marry himself. He commemorated Blanche with an inscription in the Painted Hall at Chatsworth, which states that he completed his reconstruction of the house in the year of his bereavement, 1840, and by Blanche's Urn at the top of the Long Walk in the garden.
The Duke's three surviving sons became distinguished politicians; the eldest, known after 1858 by the courtesy title Marquess of Hartington
Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire
Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1834 and 1858 and Marquess of Hartington between 1858 and 1891, was a British statesman...
, led the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and was asked three times to be Prime Minister by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
; Lord Frederick Cavendish
Lord Frederick Cavendish
Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish was an English Liberal politician and protégé of the Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone...
was briefly Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
and was assassinated in 1882; Lord Edward Cavendish
Lord Edward Cavendish
Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Edward Cavendish was a 19th century British politician.Born in Marylebone, Cavendish was the third son of William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, by his wife, Lady Blanche Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire...
was MP for West Derbyshire
West Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Derbyshire was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1885 until it was replaced by the Derbyshire Dales constituency in the 2010 General Election, it elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.It...
. He also had one son, Hon. William (8 October 1831 – 15 May 1834) who died as an infant, and a daughter, Lady Louisa Caroline (d. 21 September 1907), who married Admiral the Honourable Francis Egerton.