William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland (1 March 1709 – 1 May 1762), styled Viscount Woodstock from 1709 to 1716 and Marquess of Titchfield from 1716 to 1726, was a British peer and politician. Portland was the son of

Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland (17 March 1682 – 4 July 1726), of Titchfield, Hampshire, styled Viscount Woodstock from 1689 until 1709, was a British Whig politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons from 1705 until 17 ...

and his wife Elizabeth Noel, daughter of

Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough (c. 1661 – 21 September 1690) was an English peer and Member of Parliament, styled Viscount Campden from 1683 to 1689. Early life Wriothesley Noel was born circa 1661. He was the son of Edward ...

. He succeeded his father in the dukedom as a teen in 1726. He was an original governor of the Foundling Hospital in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, founded in 1739, and was made a

Knight of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George ...

in 1741. On 11 June 1734, he married Lady Margaret Harley, daughter of

Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer (2 June 1689 – 16 June 1741), styled Lord Harley between 1711 and 1724, was a British politician, bibliophile, collector and patron of the arts. Background Harley was the only son of Rober ...

. They had six children: * Lady Elizabeth Bentinck (

Welbeck Abbey Welbeck Abbey in the Dukeries in North Nottinghamshire was the site of a monastery belonging to the Premonstratensian order in England and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a country house residence of the Dukes of Portland. It is o ...

, 27 June 1735 – 25 December 1825,

), who married

Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath, KG, PC (13 September 173419 November 1796), of Longleat in Wiltshire, was a British politician who held office under King George III. He served as Southern Secretary, Northern Secretary and Lord Lieuten ...

(1734–1796) * Lady Henrietta Bentinck (8 February 1737 – 4 June 1827), who married

George Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford George Harry Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford (1 October 1737 – 28 May 1819), styled Lord Grey from 1739 to 1768, was a British nobleman, who additionally became a peer of Great Britain as Earl of Warrington in 1796. The eldest son and heir ...

''Burkes Peerage'' (1939 edition), s.v. Stamford. (1737–1819) *

William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland William Henry Cavendish Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, (14 April 173830 October 1809) was a British Whig and then a Tory politician during the late Georgian era. He served as Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1792–1809) ...

(b. 14 April 1738 – d. 30 October 1809), who married Lady Dorothy Cavendish (1750–1794) daughter of

William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, (8 May 1720 – 2 October 1764), styled Lord Cavendish before 1729, and Marquess of Hartington between 1729 and 1755, was a British Whig statesman and nobleman who was briefly nominal 5th Prime Mini ...

* Lady Margaret Bentinck (26 July 1739 – 28 April 1756) * Lady Frances Bentinck (9 April 1741 – March 1743) * Lord Edward Charles Cavendish-Bentinck (3 March 1744 – 8 October 1819), married Elizabeth Cumberland (d. 1837) The Duke did not seek any public office, but focused on his family life at the family seat,

Bulstrode Park Bulstrode is an English country house and its large park, located to the southwest of Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. The estate spreads across Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross and Fulmer, and predates the Norman conquest. Its name may ori ...

. Portland is identified in ''The Handy-Book of Literary Curiosities'' (1909) as one of the perpetrators of

The Great Bottle Hoax The Bottle Conjuror was the stage name given to a hoax theatrical performer, advertised to appear at the Haymarket Theatre in England, on 16 January 1749. While on stage, the acrobat was to have placed his body inside an empty wine bottle, ...

of 1749, in which a large crowd was lured to a London theatre with the expectation of seeing a man jump into a "quart bottle". Portland died in May 1762, aged 53, was buried at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his eldest son William, who became Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Duchess of Portland died in 1785.

References

External links

Biography of the 2nd Duke, with links to online catalogues, from Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portland, William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of 1709 births 1762 deaths William, 2nd Duke of Portland

102 102 may refer to: * 102 (number), the number * AD 102, a year in the 2nd century AD * 102 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC * 102 (ambulance service), an emergency medical transport service in Uttar Pradesh, India * 102 (Clyde) Field Squadron, Royal ...

Knights of the Garter Fellows of the Royal Society Parents of prime ministers of the United Kingdom Burials at Westminster Abbey

References

Further reading

External links