Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon (12 November 1696 – 13 October 1746) was an English peer. Theophilus, the son of

Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon (10 December 165030 May 1701) was a 17th-century English politician and Jacobite. One of the few non-Catholics to remain loyal to James II of England after November 1688, on the rare occasions he is ...

and his second wife Mary Frances Fowler, was born at Donnington on 12 November 1696. He succeeded his childless half-brother George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon in 1705. He was educated at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

, where he matriculated in October 1712. His tutor at Christ Church was Martin Benson, who subsequently became

Bishop of Gloucester The Bishop of Gloucester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester, England, Diocese of Gloucester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Gloucestershire, County of Gloucestershire and part ...

. He completed his education by visiting France, Italy and Spain. Theophilus took his seat in the House of Lords in March 1722. In 1727 he carried the sword of state at the coronation of George II. He served as a governor of the

Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital (formally the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children) was a children's home in London, England, founded in 1739 by the philanthropy, philanthropic Captain (nautical), sea captain ...

, although his epitaph portrays him as an essentially private man. Hastings married Lady Selina Shirley, daughter of Washington Shirley, 2nd Earl Ferrers and Mary Levinge, on 3 June 1728. The couple lived at

Donington Hall Donington Hall is a country house set in parkland near Castle Donington village, North West Leicestershire. The Hall and Estate was purchased in April 2021 by MotorSport Vision, which also operates the neighbouring Donington Park racing cir ...

. From 1744 he had a house in Downing Street. Theophilus and Selina had seven children: * Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon *George (1730-1743) and Ferdinando (1733-1743) died of smallpox in London ad have a memorial in Westminster Abbey. *Henry (12 December 1739 - 13 September 1758) died unmarried. * Elizabeth Rawdon, Countess of Moira *Selina (born June 1735) died in childhood. *Selina (3 December 1737 - 1763) died unmarried.''The Third Register Book of the Parish of St James in the Liberty of Westminster For Births & Baptisms. 1723-1741''. 12 December 1737. He had an illegitimate son, Sir George Hastings (1733–1783). He died of an apoplexy on 13 October 1746 and was buried in

St Helen's Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch St Helen's Church is the Church of England, Anglican parish church of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the deanery of North West Leicestershire and the Diocese of Leicester. There was a church in the town in the 11th century, but the core of the present b ...

. A monument to the ninth earl erected by his wife remains in the church; the epitaph was written by Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huntingdon, Theophilus Hstings, 9th Earl of 1696 births 1746 deaths Theophilus Hastings, 09th Earl of Huntingdon 9 Barons Hastings Barons Botreaux Barons Hungerford