Elizabeth Townshend, Viscountess Sydney (7 April 1736 – 1 May 1826) was the wife of

Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (24 February 1733 – 30 June 1800) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1754 to 1783 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Sydney. He held several important Cabinet posts in ...

. She was the daughter of Richard Powys, MP, and his wife, the former Lady Mary Brudenell, daughter of George Brudenell, 3rd Earl of Cardigan. Elizabeth's sister Mary married

James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown James Stopford, 2nd Earl of Courtown Order of St Patrick, KP, Privy Council of Ireland, PC (Ire) (28 May 1731 – 30 March 1810), known as Viscount Stopford from 1762 to 1770, was an Anglo-Irish Peerage, peer and Tory politician who sat in the Bri ...

. Following their father's death in 1743, their mother remarried, her second husband being

Thomas Bowlby Thomas William Bowlby (7 January 1818 – 22 September 1860) was a British correspondent for ''The Times'' in Germany and China in the 19th century. A "pioneer in the risky business of war reportage", his torture and death during the Second Op ...

, MP. Elizabeth herself married the viscount on 19 May 1760. They had twelve children in all, several of whom died in infancy. They included: *Hon. Georgiana Townshend (1761-1835) *Hon. Mary Elizabeth Townshend (1762-1821), who married General

John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham (9 October 1756 – 24 September 1835) was a British soldier and politician. He spent a lengthy period in the cabinet but is best known for commanding the disastrous Walcheren Campaign of 1809. Chatham wa ...

*John Thomas Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney of St. Leonards (1764-1831) *Albinia Ann (1765-1770) *Horatio George Townshend (1766-1773) *Frederick Roger (1770-1782) *Hon. Frances Townshend (1772-1854) *Hon. Henrietta Catherine Townshend (1773-1814) who married Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch, and had children *Sophia Charlotte (1777) *William Augustus Townshend (1776-1816) From 1791 to 1818, she 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. A lady of the bedchamber would gi ...

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her ...

, queen consort of King

George III of the United Kingdom George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great ...

. The viscount died in June 1800, aged 67, and was succeeded in his titles by his son, John Thomas. Viscountess Sydney died in May 1826, aged 90.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Townshend, Elizabeth, Viscountess Sydney

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

Ladies of the Bedchamber 1736 births 1826 deaths Court of George III