John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow, GCH (19 August 1779 – 15 September 1853) was a

British Peer The peerages in the United Kingdom are a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various noble ranks, and forming a constituent part of the British honours system. The term '' peerage'' can be used both coll ...

and

Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. Th ...

politician.

Life

Cust was the eldest son of the 1st Baron Brownlow and his second wife, Frances. 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 ...

(1788–93) and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

(1797) before undertaking a European tour of Russia and Germany in 1801. In 1802 he was elected the MP for

Clitheroe Clitheroe () is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England; it is located north-west of Manchester. It is near the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists visiting the area. In 2018, the Cl ...

, holding the seat until 1807, when he succeeded to his father's title and estates, including Belton House near Grantham, Lincolnshire. In May 1805, he was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

. From 1809 to 1852, he was

Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire The Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire () is the British monarch's personal representative in the county of Lincolnshire. Historically, the lord-lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lord-lieutenant's responsibi ...

and in 1815 was created Earl Brownlow and Viscount Alford, ''of Alford, in the County of Lincoln''. He was appointed to the

Royal Guelphic Order The Royal Guelphic Order (german: Königliche Guelphen-Orden), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent (later King George IV). It takes its name ...

as a Knight Grand Cross (GCH) in 1834. According to the '' Legacies of British Slave-Ownership'' at the

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

, Brownlow was awarded compensation under the

Slave Compensation Act 1837 The Slave Compensation Act 1837 (1 & 2 Vict. c. 3) was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, signed into law on 23 December 1837. It authorised the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt to compensate slave owners in the Brit ...

. In 1821, Brownlow's younger brother, Sir Edward Cust, 1st Baronet (1794–1878), had married Mary Anne Boode (1799–1882). Mary was the daughter and heiress of Lewis William and Margaret Boode (née Dannett). The Boodes were a prominent Dutch, slave owning family. Brownlow and Wilbraham Egerton of Tatton Park acted as co-trustees and executors of Margaret Boode's estate when she died in 1827.

Family

On 24 July 1810, Lord Brownlow married Sophia Hume, the second daughter and coheiress of Sir Abraham Hume, Bt., with whom he had three children: * Lady Sophia Frances, (1811–1882) (allegedly a friend of Augustus Smith and a regular visitor to

Tresco Tresco may refer to: * Tresco, Elizabeth Bay, a historic residence in New South Wales, Australia * Tresco, Isles of Scilly, an island off Cornwall, England, United Kingdom * Tresco, Victoria, a town in Victoria, Australia * a nickname referring to ...

), married Lt-Col

Christopher Tower Christopher Tower may refer to: * Christopher Tower (MP, died 1771) (c. 1694–1771), MP for Lancaster, Aylesbury and Bossinney * Christopher Thomas Tower (1775–1867), grandson of the preceding, MP for Harwich * Christopher Tower (MP, died 1884 ...

. Mother of Amelia, Countess de Salis * John Hume, Viscount Alford (1812–1851) * Charles Henry (1813–1875) Brownlow's wife died in 1814 and on 22 September 1818, he married Caroline Fludyer daughter of George Fludyer of Ayston, Rutland (and a granddaughter of Sir Samuel Fludyer, Bt). Brownlow and Caroline had four daughters: * Lady Caroline Mary Cust, (1819–1898) * Lady Amelia Cust, (1821–?) * Lady Katherine Anne Cust, (1822–1885) * Lady Elizabeth Cust, (1824–1824) Caroline died in 1824 and Brownlow then married thirdly Lady Emma Sophia Edgcumbe, a daughter of the 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. Lord Brownlow did have not any children with his third wife. As his eldest son had pre-deceased him in 1851, on his own death in 1853 his titles and estates passed to his grandson, John William Spencer Egerton-CustBrownlow archives. Belton House records. Handwritten letter from Amelia Cust to her sister Sophia dated 25 October 1844. Last Will and Testament of Lady Amelia Cust.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Brownlow, John Cust, 1st Earl 1779 births 1853 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Earls in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Lord-Lieutenants of Lincolnshire Cust, John Cust, John Cust, John Brownlow, E1 UK MPs who were granted peerages Tory MPs (pre-1834) Fellows of the Royal Society

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

Recipients of payments from the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 British slave owners Barons Brownlow