The Right Honourable
The Earl of Egremont
PC
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
In office
9 October 1761 – 21 August 1763
MonarchGeorge III
Prime MinisterThe Earl of Bute
George Grenville
Preceded byWilliam Pitt
Succeeded byThe Earl of Halifax
Personal details
Born(1710-08-19)19 August 1710
Died21 August 1763(1763-08-21) (aged 53)
SpouseHon. Alicia Maria Carpenter
Children
Parent(s)Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet
Catherine Seymour
Arms of Wyndham: Azure, a chevron between three lion's heads erased or

Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, PC (19 August 1710 – 21 August 1763), of Orchard Wyndham in Somerset, Petworth House in Sussex, and of Egremont House in Mayfair, London, was a British statesman who served as Secretary of State for the Southern Department from 1761 to 1763.

Origins

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He was the eldest son and heir of Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet, of Orchard Wyndham, Secretary at War in 1712, Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1713 and Tory leader in the House of Commons during the reign of King George I (1714–1727) and during the early years of King George II (1727–1760).

His mother was Catherine Seymour, daughter of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and sister of Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, created in 1749 Earl of Egremont and Baron Cockermouth, with special remainder to his nephew Charles Wyndham, the subject of this article.[1]

Inheritance

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He succeeded to the Orchard Wyndham estates and as 4th baronet on his father's death in 1740, and in 1750 succeeded by special remainder as 2nd Earl of Egremont, on the death of his maternal uncle Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Egremont, and received, as his share of the Seymour inheritance, the former Percy estates, including Egremont Castle in Cumbria, Leconfield Castle in Yorkshire and the palatial Petworth House in Sussex (rebuilt by the 6th Duke[2]). These were formerly owned by the Percy family, and had been inherited by the 7th Duke of Somerset from his mother, Lady Elizabeth Percy (died 1722),[3] daughter and heiress of Joceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland.

His younger brother was Percy Wyndham-O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond, created Earl of Thomond, having become the chosen heir of his mother's sister's childless husband Henry O'Brien, 8th Earl of Thomond (1688–1741).

Career

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Wyndham served as member of parliament for Bridgwater (Somerset) in 1734–1741, Appleby (Cumberland) in 1741–1747, and for Taunton (Somerset) in 1747–1750.

Seven Years' War

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In October 1761, Egremont was appointed Secretary of State for the Southern Department in succession to William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. His term of office, during which he acted in concert with his brother-in-law George Grenville, was mainly occupied with the declaration of war on Spain and with the negotiations for peace with France and Spain, the terms of which Wyndham seems to have disliked. He was also involved with the proceedings against John Wilkes.[4] He died in office 21 August 1763.

He was Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland 1751–1763 and Lord Lieutenant of Sussex 1762–1763.

Marriage and progeny

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On 12 March 1750/51 Wyndham married Hon. Alicia Maria Carpenter, a daughter of George Carpenter, 2nd Baron Carpenter of Killaghy, by his wife Elizabeth Petty. He had progeny including:

Assessment

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According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, Horace Walpole perhaps rated Egremont's talents too low when he said he had neither knowledge of business, nor the smallest share of parliamentary abilities.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Debretts peerage, 1968, p. 411, Baron Leconfield and Egremont.
  2. ^ "In 1682 Petworth passed by marriage from the Percies to the 6th Duke of Somerset and it is to him the Proud Duke that we owe by far the larger part of the existing house" (Nicolson, Nigel, Great Houses of Britain, London, 1978, p. 165).
  3. ^ Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p. 411.
  4. ^ a b  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Egremont, Earls of". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 20.
  5. ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 11 September 1756.
  6. ^ The Register Book of Burials in the Parish of St James in Westminster in the County of Middlesex. Volume IV. 1754-1812. 27 April 1757.
  7. ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 2 November 1757.
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Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byGeorge DodingtonThomas Palmer Member of Parliament for Bridgwater 1735–1741 With: George Dodington Succeeded byGeorge DodingtonVere Poulett Preceded bySir John Ramsden, BtGeorge Dodington Member of Parliament for Appleby 1742–1747 With: Sir John Ramsden, Bt Succeeded bySir John Ramsden, BtRandle Wilbraham Preceded bySir John Chapman, BtPercy Wyndham-O'Brien Member of Parliament for Taunton 1747–1750 With: Robert Webb Succeeded byRobert WebbWilliam Rowley Political offices Preceded byWilliam Pitt Secretary of State for the Southern Department 1761–1763 Succeeded byThe Earl of Halifax Preceded byThe Duke of Newcastle Leader of the House of Lords 1762–1763 Succeeded byThe Earl of Halifax Honorary titles Preceded byThe Viscount Lonsdale Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland 1751–1759 Succeeded bySir James Lowther, 5th Bt Custos Rotulorum of Cumberland 1751–1763 VacantTitle next held bySir James Lowther, 5th Bt Preceded bySir James Lowther, 4th Bt Vice-Admiral of Cumberland 1755–1763 Preceded byThe Duke of Newcastle Lord Lieutenant of Sussex 1763 Succeeded byThe Duke of Richmond Peerage of Great Britain Preceded byAlgernon Seymour Earl of Egremont 1750–1763 Succeeded byGeorge Wyndham Baronetage of England Preceded byWilliam Wyndham Baronet(of Orchard Wyndham) 1740–1763 Succeeded byGeorge Wyndham
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