Charles Noel Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough (2 October 1781 – 10 June 1866), known as Charles Edwardes until 1798, as Charles Noel between 1798 and 1823 and as the Lord Barham between 1823 and 1841, was a British peer and Whig politician.

Early life

Gainsborough was born on 2 October 1781 as Charles Edwardes. He was the eldest son of

Sir Gerard Noel, 2nd Baronet Sir Gerard Noel Noel, 2nd Baronet (17 July 1759 – 25 February 1838), of Welham Grove in Leicestershire and Exton Park in Rutland, known as Gerard Edwardes until 1798, was an English Member of Parliament. Background Gerard Noel was born Ger ...

and Diana Middleton. His father succeeded his father-in-law as second Baronet of the Navy in 1838 and his mother succeeded her father as second Baroness Barham in 1823, both according to special remainders in the letters patent. In 1798, on the death of his great uncle

Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough (1743 – 8 April 1798) was an English peer. He inherited the earldom in 1759, on the death of his brother, Baptist Noel, 5th Earl of Gainsborough. He was the son of Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough. ...

(on whose death the earldom became extinct), Gainsborough and the rest of the family assumed, by Royal licence, the surname of Noel in lieu of his patronymic.Record for ''Charles Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough'' on ''thepeerage.com''
/ref> His paternal grandparents were the former Lady Jane Noel (a daughter of Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough) and Gerard Anne Edwardes, an illegitimate son of

Lord Anne Hamilton Lord Anne Hamilton (12 October 1709 – 25 December 1748) was a Scottish nobleman. He is said to have married the richest woman in the UK and they had a child. Early life Hamilton was born at St. James's Square, London, the third son of Lieute ...

(the younger son of

James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton Lieutenant General James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton and 1st Duke of Brandon (11 April 1658 – 15 November 1712) was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician. Hamilton was a major investor in the failed Darien Scheme, which cost many of ...

). His maternal grandfather was Admiral

Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, PC (14 October 172617 June 1813) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. As a junior officer he saw action during the Seven Years' War. Middleton was given command of a guardship at the Nore, a Roy ...

Career

Gainsborough succeeded his father as

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

in 1808, a seat he held until 1814. In 1823, he succeeded his mother as the 3rd

Baron Barham Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...

and entered the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

. In 1838, he also succeeded his father as the 3rd Noel baronet, of the Navy the

Baronetage of Great Britain Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain. Baronetage of England (1611–1705) King James I ...

. In 1841, he was he was created

Baron Noel Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

, of

Ridlington Ridlington is a village and civil parish in Rutland in the East Midlands of England. The population of the village was 202 at the time of the 2001 census, including Ayston, Leighfield and Wardley also increasing to 260 at the 2011 census. The v ...

in the

County of Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

Viscount Campden A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

, of

Campden Chipping Campden is a market town in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its terraced High Street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century. ("Chipping" is from Old English ''cēping'', 'market', 'market- ...

in the

County of Gloucester Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Glouce ...

, and

Earl of Gainsborough Earl of Gainsborough is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation ended in extinction when the sixth Earl died without heirs. However, the title was re ...

, in the

County of Lincoln Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

, all in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, a revival of the title held by his ancestors. The family seat is

Exton Hall Exton Hall is an English country house on the western edge of the village of Exton, Rutland, England, standing in its own extensive park. The Hall It was the family seat of the family of Sir James Harington and later the Noel family, Earls o ...

, near Exton,

Personal life

Lord Gainsborough was four times married. His first marriage was in July 1809 to Elizabeth Welman (1786–1811), the only child of Thomas Welman of

Poundisford Park Poundisford Park north of Pitminster, Somerset, England is an English country house that typifies progressive housebuilding on the part of the West Country gentry in the mid-16th century. The main house was built for William Hill around 1550 and h ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

and Elizabeth Locke (a daughter of John Locke of Howley). She died on 1 December 1811. There were no children from this marriage. Lord Gainsborough married, secondly, on 13 May 1817 to Elizabeth Grey (1800–1818), second daughter of

Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet, (10 October 1767 – 3 October 1828) was a British Royal Navy officer and a scion of the noble House of Grey. He served with the Royal Navy from the age of 14 and was on active service from 1781 to 1804, during the ...

of Falloden (the third son of

Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, (circa 23 October 1729 – 14 November 1807) was a British Army general in the 18th century and a scion of the noble House of Grey. He was a distinguished soldier in a generation of exceptionally capable military a ...

) and Mary Whitbread (a daughter of Samuel Whitbread of Cardington and Southill and the former Lady Mary Cornwallis, third daughter of

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Earl Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Earl Cornwallis (29 March 170023 June 1762), styled The Honourable Charles Cornwallis until 1722 and known as The Lord Cornwallis between 1722 and 1753, was a British peer. Background Cornwallis was the son of Charles ...

). Before her death on 20 September 1818, they were the parents of one child: *

Charles George Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough Charles George Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough (5 September 1818 – 13 August 1881), styled Viscount Campden between 1841 and 1866, was a British peer and Whig (British political faction), Whig politician. Background Gainsborough was the only c ...

(1818–1881), who married Lady Ida Harriet Augusta, a daughter of

William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll William George Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll, KT, GCH, PC (21 February 1801 – 19 April 1846), styled Lord Hay between 1815 and 1819, was a Scottish peer and politician. Early life Erroll was the son of William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll, and h ...

and Elizabeth FitzClarence (an illegitimate daughter of King

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...

). His third marriage was on 29 July 1820 to Arabella Hamlyn-Williams (d. 1829), second daughter of Sir James Hamlyn-Williams, 2nd Baronet of

Clovelly Court Clovelly Court is a privately owned country house in Clovelly, Devon. The house and adjacent stable block are Grade II listed buildings. The gardens and parts of the estate are open to the public. History The manor of Clovelly was for over 600 y ...

and the former Diana Anne Whitaker (a daughter of Abraham Whitaker). Before her death on 4 October 1829, shortly after the birth of her youngest child, they were the parents of two sons and two daughters: * Gerard James Noel (1823–1911), a

for Rutland from 1847 to 1883, a

Lord of the Treasury In the United Kingdom there are at least six Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, serving as a commission for the ancient office of Treasurer of the Exchequer. The board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the ...

from 1866 to 1868,

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury is the official title of the most senior whip of the governing party in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Today, any official links between the Treasury and this office are nominal and the title ...

in 1868, and Chief Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings from 1876 to 1880; who in 1863 married Lady Augusta Mary Lowther (d. 1916), sister of

Henry Lowther, 3rd Earl of Lonsdale Henry Lowther, 3rd Earl of Lonsdale (27 March 1818 – 15 August 1876) was a British nobleman and Conservative politician. Early life Lowther was born on 27 March 1818. He was the eldest son of Hon. Henry Cecil Lowther and Lady Lucy Sherard. ...

, and second daughter of Col. Henry Cecil Lowther MP (second son of

William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale, KG (29 December 175719 March 1844), also known as Sir William Lowther, 2nd Baronet, of Little Preston, from 1788 to 1802, and William Lowther, 2nd Viscount Lowther, from 1802 to 1807, was a British Tory pol ...

) and Lady Lucy Eleanor Sherard (eldest daughter of

Philip Sherard, 5th Earl of Harborough Philip Sherard, 5th Earl of Harborough (10 October 1767 – 10 December 1807), styled Lord Sherard from 1770 to 1799, was a British peer and politician. Early life Sherard was the eldest son of Robert Sherard, 4th Earl of Harborough and his wife ...

). * Henry Lewis Noel (1824–1898), a Captain who married his cousin Emily Elizabeth Noel, second daughter of Baptist Wriothesley Noel (eighth son of Sir Gerald Noel, 2nd Baronet and Diana Barham, ''

suo jure ''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...

'' Baroness Barham) and Jane Baillie (eldest daughter of Peter Baillie), in 1852. After her death in October 1890, he remarried to Anne Adelaide Burnside (d. 1904), the only child of Rev. John Burnside, Rector of Plumtree, in 1892. * Lady Mary Arabella Louisa Noel (d. 1883), who married

Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet DL (2 January 1818 – 25 March 1892) was a British politician and baronet. Early life Agnew was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 2 January 1818 into the Scottish Lowlands Clan Agnew.George Edward Cokayne, editor, ' ...

of Lochnaw, in 1846. * Lady Catherine Hamilton Noel (1829–1855), who married, as his first wife,

James Carnegie, 9th Earl of Southesk James Carnegie, 9th Earl of Southesk, KT, DL (16 November 1827 – 21 February 1905) was a Scottish nobleman, explorer and poet. Early life Born in Edinburgh, on 16 November 1827, Southesk was the son of Sir James Carnegie, 5th Baronet and Cha ...

, in 1849. His fourth marriage was on 25 July 1833 to Lady Frances Jocelyn (1814–1885), the second daughter of

Robert Jocelyn, 3rd Earl of Roden Robert Jocelyn, 3rd Earl of Roden, (27 October 1788 – 20 March 1870), styled Viscount Jocelyn between 1797 and 1820, was an Irish Tory politician and supporter of Protestant causes. Background Jocelyn was the son of Robert Jocelyn, 2nd Ear ...

and Maria Catherine Frances Stapleton (second daughter of

Thomas Stapleton, 15th Baron Despencer Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

). Lady Gainsborough was a

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. They are ranked between the Mis ...

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

from 1837 to 1872 and Extra Lady of the Bedchamber from 1872 until her death in 1885. Together, they were the parents of: * Roden Berkeley Wriothesley Noel (1834–1894), a

Groom of the Privy Chamber Groom of the Chamber was a position in the Household of the monarch in early modern England. Other ''Ancien Régime'' royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles. In France, the Duchy of Burgundy, and in Eng ...

from 1867 to 1871 who married Alice Maria Caroline de Broe, a daughter of Paul de Broe, in 1863. After his death, she married Rev. David MacAnally in 1895. * Lady Victoria Noel (d. 1916), who married

Sir Fowell Buxton, 3rd Baronet Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, 3rd Baronet, (26 January 1837 – 28 October 1915), commonly known as Sir Fowell Buxton, was the Governor of South Australia from 29 October 1895 until 29 March 1899. He was the grandson of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, a ...

, later Governor of South Australia, in 1862. Gainsborough died in June 1866, at the age of 84, and was succeeded by his son from his second marriage,

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

. His eldest son from his third marriage,

Gerard Gerard is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, variations of which exist in many Germanic and Romance languages. Like many other early Germanic names, it is dithematic, consisting of two meaningful constituents put together. In this ca ...

, was a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

politician. The dowager Countess of Gainsborough remained a widow until her death on 12 May 1885.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gainsborough, Charles Noel, 1st Earl of 1781 births 1866 deaths 1 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies UK MPs 1807–1812 UK MPs 1812–1818 UK MPs who inherited peerages UK MPs who were granted peerages

Eldest sons of British hereditary barons Peers of the United Kingdom created by Queen Victoria