John Wodehouse, 1st Baron Wodehouse (4 April 1741 – 29 May 1834), known as Sir John Wodehouse, 6th Baronet, from 1777 to 1797, was a British landowner, Member of Parliament and peer.

Life

Wodehouse was the son of

Sir Armine Wodehouse, 5th Baronet Colonel Sir Armine Wodehouse, 5th Baronet ( – 21 May 1777) was a British Tories (British political party), Tory politician and militia officer. Wodehouse was born in 1714, the son of Sir John Wodehouse, 4th Baronet, and Mary Fermor. His unus ...

, and Letitia Bacon.Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. When his father raised the East Norfolk Militia in 1758 he 'marched as private militiaman' in the regiment. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in May 1774 and the following month took over the command from his father as

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the Regiment. He retained the command until 1798 when he resigned in favour of his own son John. He succeeded his father in the baronetcy in 1777 and in 1784 he was elected to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

for

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

, a seat he held until 1797. In that year, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wodehouse, of Kimberley in the County of Norfolk. In 1778, Wodehouse commissioned

Capability Brown Lancelot "Capability" Brown (born c. 1715–16, baptised 30 August 1716 – 6 February 1783) was an English gardener and landscape architect, a notable figure in the history of the English landscape garden style. Unlike other architects ...

, to undertake a series of enhancements to his country seat, Kimberley Hall near

Wymondham Wymondham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England. It lies on the River Tiffey, south-west of Norwich and just off the A11 road (England), A11 road to London. The pari ...

(Brown had previously undertaken works for Sir Armine in 1762). By 1827, Woodhouse had developed a pleasure ground, a southwards extension to the park and three lodged entrances. The landscape which Wodehouse created has largely survived and is listed Grade II*. Wodehouse died in May 1834 aged 93, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son.

Personal life

Wodehouse married Sophia Berkeley (died 16 April 1825), daughter of Charles Berkeley of

Bruton Abbey Bruton Abbey in Bruton, Somerset was founded as a house of Augustinian canons in about 1127, and became an abbey in 1511, shortly before its dissolution in 1539. It was endowed with manors, churches and other properties in the area and also in ...

, on 30 March 1769. Together the couple had four sons and two daughters: *

John Wodehouse, 2nd Baron Wodehouse John Wodehouse, 2nd Baron Wodehouse (11 January 1771 – 31 May 1846), styled The Honourable John Wodehouse from 1797 to 1834, was a British peer and Member of Parliament. Background Wodehouse was the eldest son of John Wodehouse, 1st Baron W ...

(11 January 1771 – 29 May 1846) *Vice-Admiral Philip Wodehouse (16 July 1773 – 21 January 1838), Royal Navy officer *Reverend Armine Wodehouse (12 March 1776 – 9 April 1853), clergyman *Reverend William Wodehouse (4 April 1782 – 3 April 1870), clergyman *Sophia Wodehouse (d. 22 June 1852), unmarried *Letitia Wodehouse (d. 3 March 1864), married firstly Sir Thomas Maynard Hesilrige, 10th Baronet, and secondly F. Fielding, barrister

Citations

References

External links

*
www.thepeerage.com
1741 births 1834 deaths 11 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 British MPs 1796–1800 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Norfolk Norfolk Militia officers John Wodehouse, 1st Baron Wodehouse Peers of Great Britain created by George III {{GB-baron-stub