The Right Honourable
The Lord Rokeby
FRS
Member of Parliament for St Germans
In office
1806–1812
Preceded byJames Langham
Lord Binning
Succeeded byHon. James Stuart
Henry Goulburn
Member of Parliament for Tregony
In office
1790–1796
Preceded byRobert Kingsmill
Lord Hugh Seymour
Succeeded byJohn Nicholls
Sir Lionel Copley, Bt
Member of Parliament for Bossiney
In office
1786–1790
Serving with Hon. Charles Stuart
Preceded byHon. Charles Stuart
Bamber Gascoyne
Succeeded byHon. James Stuart
Humphrey Minchin
Personal details
Born
Matthew Robinson

(1762-11-23)23 November 1762
London, England
Died1 September 1831(1831-09-01) (aged 68)
Montagu House, Portman Square
Spouse
Elizabeth Charlton
​
​
(m. 1785; died 1817)​
RelationsMatthew Robinson, 2nd Baron Rokeby (uncle)
Morris Robinson, 3rd Baron Rokeby (brother)
Elizabeth Montagu (aunt)
Parent(s)Morris Robinson
Jane Greenland
EducationHarrow School
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge

Matthew Montagu, 4th Baron Rokeby (23 November 1762 – 1 September 1831), FRS, known as Matthew Robinson until 1776, was a British Member of Parliament, and briefly a baronet and Peer of the Realm.

Early life

Montagu was born Matthew Robinson on 23 November 1762 and was baptised in the parish of St Andrew Holborn. He was the second son of Jane (née Greenland) Robinson and Morris Robinson, an attorney of the Six Clerks Office in Chancery of London.[1] He was the younger brother of Morris Robinson, 3rd Baron Rokeby and nephew of Matthew Robinson, 2nd Baron Rokeby.[2]

He was the favoured nephew of Elizabeth (Robinson) Montagu (widow of Edward Montagu, grandson of the Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich), at whose request he took the name of Montagu on 3 June 1776 by Royal Licence in advance of inheriting her estate at Sandleford Priory in Berkshire and elsewhere.[3]

He was educated at Harrow School from 1775 to 1780 and Trinity College, Cambridge in 1780.[3]

Career

A "faithful follower of Pitt", Montagu represented the Cornish constituencies of Bossiney (1786–1790) and Tregony (1790–1795) in the Parliament of Great Britain; and St Germans (1806–1812) in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.[4]

Montagu was a friend and supporter of William Wilberforce, and thus favoured the abolition of the slave trade.[5] Wilberforce stayed at Sandleford from 27th to the 28th of July, 1789:

27th. Set off for Bath and reached Sandleford. The old lady [Elizabeth Montagu] wonderfully spirited, are all very kind in their reception. 28th. Almost compelled to stay with the Montagus all day. Mrs. Montagu senior has many fine, and great, and amiable qualities. Young Montagu all gratitude and respect and affection to her and of most upright and pure intentions.[6]

Wilberforce was at Sandleford one night in July 1791:

Monday 28 July. Off betimes on Sierra Leone business-reached Sandleford (M. Montagu's) in the evening. Dr. Beattie was already arrived.[7]

In 1829, he succeeded his brother as 4th Baron Rokeby in the Irish peerage and the 6th Baronet of Rokeby Park.[2]

Fellow of the Royal Society

Montagu was elected a fellow in 1795. His proposers were Arden, Lucas Pepys, J. Rennell, John Sinclair, G. Shuckburgh Evelyn, William Marsden, George, 16th Earl of Morton, Pat Russell, George Atwood, John Henniker Major, and C. F. Greville.[8]

Personal life

Sandleford Priory (west front). Montagu inherited the lease from his renowned aunt.

On 9 July 1785, Montagu married Elizabeth Charlton, daughter and heir of Francis Charlton of Kent. Before her death, they had six sons and seven daughters, including:[2]

His wife died on died 7 March 1817, before he succeeded to the barony. Lord Rokeby died at Montagu House, Portman Square on 1 September 1831.[3] He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Edward. Upon Edward's death in Naples in 1847, the titles passed to his younger son Henry upon whose death the baronetcy and barony became extinct.[2]

References

  1. ^ Rokeby.), Matthew MONTAGU (Baron) (1830). Minutes of evidence taken before the Committee for Privileges, to whom the petition of ... Matthew Baron Rokeby ... praying that his right to vote at the Election of Peers of Ireland to sit in the Parliament of the United Kingdom may be admitted, stands referred. p. 11. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cokayne, George Edward (1895). Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, Or Dormant. G. Bell & sons. pp. 390–393. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Thorne, R. G. (1986). "MONTAGU, Matthew (1762–1831), of Sandleford Priory, nr. Newbury, Berks. and Montagu House, Portman Square, Mdx.". In Thorne, R. G. (ed.). The House of Commons 1790-1820. The History of Parliament Trust.
  4. ^ The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790, edited by Lewis Namier, John Brooke, 1964.
  5. ^ R. G. Thorne in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790–1820, edited by R. G. Thorne, 1986.
  6. ^ The life of William Wilberforce, by Robert Isaac and Samuel Wilberforce, 1839, page 236.
  7. ^ The life of William Wilberforce, by Robert Isaac and Samuel Wilberforce, 1839, page 306.
  8. ^ Royal Society archive
  9. ^ a b c L. G. Pine, The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971: Containing Extinct, Abeyant, Dormant and Suspended Peerages With Genealogies and Arms (London, U.K.: Heraldry Today, 1972), page 237.
Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byHon. Charles StuartBamber Gascoyne Member of Parliament for Bossiney 1786–1790 With: Hon. Charles Stuart Succeeded byHon. James Archibald StuartHumphrey Minchin Preceded byRobert KingsmillLord Hugh Seymour Member of Parliament for Tregony 1790–1796 With: John Stephenson 1790–94Hon. Robert Stewart 1794–96 Succeeded byJohn NichollsSir Lionel Copley, Bt Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byJames LanghamLord Binning Member of Parliament for St Germans 1806–1812 With: Sir Joseph Yorke 1806–10Charles Philip Yorke 1810–12 Succeeded byHon. James Archibald StuartHenry Goulburn Peerage of Ireland Preceded byMorris Robinson Baron Rokeby 1829–1831 Succeeded byEdward Montagu
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