William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester
Encyclopedia
Colonel
William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester (21 October 1771 – 18 March 1843), styled Viscount Mandeville until 1783, was a British
peer
, soldier, colonial administrator and politician.
, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Baronet. He was educated at Harrow
and then served in the British Army
, achieving the rank of colonel in 1794.
. In 1815 he dealt with the aftermath of destruction of Port Royal
by fire
and of the plantations by a hurricane. Manchester Parish in Jamaica
was named after him, while the capital of Mandeville
was named after his son, Viscount Mandeville
.
After his return to Britain he served as Postmaster General between 1827 and 1830 (succeeding his younger brother Lord Frederick Montagu
). He was also Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
between 1793 and 1841.
, on 7 October 1793. They had five children:
The Duchess of Manchester caused a social scandal when she eloped with one of her footmen. According to the The Complete Peerage
"it is mentioned in the Memoirs of a Highland Lady, under date 1812, that 'the Duchess had left home years before with one of her footmen.' Lady Jerningham wrote, 6 September 1813: 'the Duchess of Manchester is finally parted from her husband, her conduct becoming most notoriously bad'". Having become a social outcast, she died at Eaton, Edinburgh
, in August 1828, aged 54. Manchester survived her by fifteen years and died in Rome
, Italy
, in March 1843, aged 71. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, George.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester (21 October 1771 – 18 March 1843), styled Viscount Mandeville until 1783, 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...
peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
, soldier, colonial administrator and politician.
Background and education
Manchester was the eldest surviving son of George Montagu, 4th Duke of ManchesterGeorge Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester
George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester PC was a British politician and diplomat.Manchester was the son of Robert Montagu, 3rd Duke of Manchester....
, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Baronet. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and then served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, achieving the rank of colonel in 1794.
Political career
Manchester was Governor of Jamaica from 1808 to 1827, and prepared the colony for the emancipation of slavesAbolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
. In 1815 he dealt with the aftermath of destruction of Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
by fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
and of the plantations by a hurricane. Manchester Parish in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
was named after him, while the capital of Mandeville
Mandeville, Jamaica
Mandeville is the capital and largest town in the parish of Manchester in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. In 2005, the town had an estimated population of 50,000, and including the immediate suburbs within a radius of the total population is about 72,000. It is located on an inland plateau at an...
was named after his son, Viscount Mandeville
George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester
George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester, etc. , known as Viscount Mandeville from 1799 to 1843, was a British peer and Tory Member of Parliament....
.
After his return to Britain he served as Postmaster General between 1827 and 1830 (succeeding his younger brother Lord Frederick Montagu
Lord Frederick Montagu
Lord Frederick Montagu was a British politician. He served as Postmaster General between 1826 and 1827.-Background:...
). He was also Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire. Huntingdonshire became part of Huntingdon and Peterborough in 1965; see Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdon and Peterborough...
between 1793 and 1841.
Family
Manchester married Lady Susan, third daughter of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of GordonAlexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon
Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon KT , styled Marquess of Huntly until 1752, was a Scottish nobleman, described by Kaimes as the "greatest subject in Britain", and was also known as the Cock o' the North, the traditional epithet attached to the chief of the Gordon clan.-Early life:Alexander...
, on 7 October 1793. They had five children:
- Lady Georgiana Frederica Montagu (d. 1892), married Evan Baillie and had issue.
- George Montagu, 6th Duke of ManchesterGeorge Montagu, 6th Duke of ManchesterGeorge Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester, etc. , known as Viscount Mandeville from 1799 to 1843, was a British peer and Tory Member of Parliament....
(1799–1855) - Lady Elizabeth Montagu, married Thomas Steele and had issue, including Thomas Montagu SteeleThomas Montagu SteeleGeneral Sir Thomas Montagu Steele GCB, PC was a British army officer.-Life:...
- Lady Susan Montagu (c. 1801–1870), married George Hay, 8th Marquess of TweeddaleGeorge Hay, 8th Marquess of TweeddaleField Marshal George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, KT, GCB was a Scottish soldier and administrator.-Military career:...
and had issue. - Lady Caroline Catherine Montagu (c. 1804–1892), married John Calcraft and had issue.
The Duchess of Manchester caused a social scandal when she eloped with one of her footmen. According to the The Complete Peerage
The Complete Peerage
The Complete Peerage The Complete Peerage The Complete Peerage (full title: The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom Extant, Extinct, or Dormant; first edition by George Edward Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms; 2nd edition revised by the Hon...
"it is mentioned in the Memoirs of a Highland Lady, under date 1812, that 'the Duchess had left home years before with one of her footmen.' Lady Jerningham wrote, 6 September 1813: 'the Duchess of Manchester is finally parted from her husband, her conduct becoming most notoriously bad'". Having become a social outcast, she died at Eaton, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, in August 1828, aged 54. Manchester survived her by fifteen years and died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in March 1843, aged 71. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, George.