Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Charles Stanhope, 4th Earl of Harrington (8 April 17803 March 1851), styled Viscount Petersham until 1829, was an English peer and man of fashion. Petersham, the 3rd Earl of Harrington's eldest son, was a

Regency era The Regency era of British history officially spanned the years 1811 to 1820, though the term is commonly applied to the longer period between and 1837. George III of the United Kingdom, King George III succumbed to mental illness in late 18 ...

buck. He was educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

from 1793 until 1795 on 7 December of that year, he was commissioned an ensign in the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

. He transferred on 26 November 1799 to become a captain-lieutenant in the 10th (Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, and was promoted to captain of a troop on 10 May 1800. Petersham purchased a majority in the

Queen's Rangers The Queen's Rangers, also known as the Queen's American Rangers, and later Simcoe's Rangers, were a Loyalist military unit of the American Revolutionary War. Formed in 1776, they were named for Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. The Queen ...

on 23 February 1803. Shortly thereafter, the regiment was reduced and he was placed on half-pay. On 29 December 1804, he exchanged into the

3rd West India Regiment The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. In 1888 the two West India Regiments then in existence were reduced t ...

. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Army on 25 June 1807. He went on half pay in August 1812, and was promoted to colonel on 4 June 1814. On 10 March 1812, he was appointed a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

. He continued to serve in that post under

King George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten ye ...

until 1829. The family home in London was Harrington House. Viscount Petersham's manners were affected and he spoke with a kind of lisp. Never seen in public before 6:00 pm, 'Beau' Petersham was a

trendsetter ''Trendsetter'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Coi Leray. It was released through Uptown Records, Republic Records and 1801 on April 8, 2022. The album contains guest appearances from Nicki Minaj, Yung Bleu, Fivio Foreig ...

. He attracted the attention and friendship of the then

Prince regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch regnant, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness ...

who emulated his clothes, his tea drinking and his addiction to

snuff Snuff may refer to: Tobacco * Snuff (tobacco), fine-ground tobacco, sniffed into the nose ** Moist snuff or dipping tobacco ** Creamy snuff, an Indian tobacco paste Media and entertainment * Snuff film, a type of film that shows a murder Literat ...

. Lord Petersham's

sitting room In Western architecture, a living room, also called a lounge room ( Australian English), lounge (British English), sitting room (British English), or drawing room, is a room for relaxing and socializing in a residential house or apartment ...

contained canisters of tea in great variety and an equally wide range of snuff. He owned 365

snuff box A decorative box is a form of packaging that is generally more than just functional, but also intended to be decorative and artistic. Many such boxes are used for promotional packaging, both commercially and privately. Historical objects are ...

es and used a different one on each day of the year. Tall and handsome, Lord Petersham was said to resemble Henry IV; he emphasised the likeness by growing a small pointed beard and dressing like Henry. He designed many of his own clothes and his fashions were quickly copied. He gave his name to the

Harrington hat Harrington (or Harington) may refer to: People as a surname * Harrington (surname) People as a forename *Arthur Raikes (Arthur Edward Harington Raikes, 1867–1915), British army officer *Charles Harrington Elster, American writer *Edward Joseph ...

and

Petersham overcoat Petersham may refer to: Places Australia * Petersham, New South Wales, Australia **Petersham railway station, a station serving Petersham, Australia ** Petersham RUFC, a Rugby Club in Sydney, Australia ** Petersham Girls High School, a school in ...

. The Prince Regent ordered an overcoat in the Petersham style for each day of the week. Viscount Petersham was famous for the brown colour of his coach, clothing, and his servant's livery. Petersham was almost fifty when he acceded to the Stanhope family title. He finally married, in 1831,

Maria Foote Maria Stanhope, Countess of Harrington (24 July 1797? - 27 December 1867), better known as Maria Foote, was a British actress and peeress in the nineteenth century. Early life Foote was born 24 July 1797(?) at Plymouth. Her father, Samuel T. Foot ...

, the

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

actress, seventeen years his junior. Their affair had met with the old Earl's disapproval and had been the gossip of London and

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

for several years. The 4th Earl of Harrington had William Barron landscape the park at

Elvaston Castle Elvaston Castle is a stately home in Elvaston, Derbyshire, England. The Gothic Revival castle and surrounding parkland is run and owned by Derbyshire County Council as a country park known as Elvaston Castle Country Park. The country park has ...

, his father's Gothic confection by

James Wyatt James Wyatt (3 August 1746 – 4 September 1813) was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1785 and was its president from 1805 to 1806. Early life W ...

. Lewis Cottingham redecorated Wyatt's original entrance hall. Renamed the ''Hall of the Fair Star'' it was dedicated to the chivalrous pursuit of love. The new Countess was in her element in this make-believe world of chivalry. The 4th Earl and Maria had two children: *Charles Stanhope, Viscount Petersham (13 December 18318 April 1836) *Lady Jane St. Maur Blanche Stanhope (14 May 183328 November 1907), married

George Conyngham, 3rd Marquess Conyngham George Henry Conyngham, 3rd Marquess Conyngham (3 February 1825 – 2 June 1882), styled Earl of Mount Charles from 1832 to 1876, was a British peer and soldier. Biography He was born on 3 February 1825, the son and heir of Francis Nathaniel Cony ...

Upon his death, the earl was succeeded by his brother,

Leicester Stanhope, 5th Earl of Harrington Leicester FitzGerald Charles Stanhope, 5th Earl of Harrington, CB (2 September 17847 September 1862), styled The Honourable Leicester Stanhope until 1851, was an English peer and soldier. Early life Leicester Stanhope was born in Dublin in 1784, ...

. Australian tea company The Devotea has offered a tea named after him since 2010. 'Lord Petersham' is their biggest selling blend in North America. They also named one after his sister Anna Russell, the Duchess of Bedford. Image:Earl of Harrington COA.svg, Coat of Arms of the Earls of Harrington File:Illustration facing page 22, Devonshire Characters and Strange Events.png,

, afterwards Countess of Harrington; From an engraved portrait in the collection of A. M. Broadley, Esq.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harrington, Charles Stanhope, 4th Earl Of 1780 births 1851 deaths 10th Royal Hussars officers Coldstream Guards officers 4 People educated at Eton College

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 ...

West India Regiment officers