Thomas Noel, 2nd Viscount Wentworth (18 November 1745 – 17 April 1815) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

politician who succeeded to a

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes Life peer, non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted Imperial, royal and noble ranks, noble ranks. Peerages include: A ...

before he could take his seat in 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 ...

, having just been elected in 1774.

Early life

Wentworth was the only son of

Edward Noel, 1st Viscount Wentworth Edward Noel, 1st Viscount Wentworth (30 August 1715 – 31 October 1774) was a British peer. Early life Edward Noel was born on 30 August 1715. Wentworth was the eldest son (of six sons and a daughter) of Sir Clobery Noel, 5th Baronet, of Kirkby ...

and his wife, Judith Lamb, daughter of William Lamb of Wellesborough, Leicestershire. His sister, the Hon. Judith Noel, married Sir Ralph Milbanke, 6th Baronet. 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 depa ...

and, having matriculated at

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The l ...

on 4 November 1763, was awarded MA on 29 April 1766.

Career

At the 1774 general election, Noel successfully contested

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...

and was returned as Member of Parliament. However, he had to leave the

Commons The commons is the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth. These resources are held in common even when owned privately or publicly. Commons ...

within a month when he succeeded to the peerage on the death of his father on 31 October.

Personal life

On 2 February 1788, Wentworth married Mary Ligonier, Dowager Countess Ligonier, a daughter of

Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington, PC (c. 1708 – 14 January 1772), was the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. He was a member of the Whig Party in the parliament and was known for his wit and writing. Family Born the second son o ...

and widow of

Edward Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier Lieutenant General Edward Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier KB (1740 – 14 June 1782) was a British soldier and courtier. He was the illegitimate son of Col. Francis Augustus Ligonier, the brother of John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier. He served with ...

(of the second creation). The union did not produce any children, although Wentworth had fathered an illegitimate son, Thomas Noel (1774–1853), who became rector of

Kirkby Mallory Kirkby Mallory is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Kirkby Mallory, Peckleton and Stapleton, in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. In 1931 the parish had a population of 231. It is known mainly ...

. There he conducted the marriage ceremony of his cousin,

Anne Isabella Milbanke Anne Isabella Noel Byron, 11th Baroness Wentworth and Baroness Byron (; 17 May 1792 – 16 May 1860), nicknamed Annabella and commonly known as Lady Byron, was an educational reformer and philanthropist who established the first industrial s ...

, to

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

in 1815. Upon his death in 1815 aged 69, Lord Wentworth's viscountcy became extinct, whilst the barony of Wentworth became abeyant between his nephew Hon. Nathaniel Curzon (later Lord Curzon) and his sister, Judith (and after her, her daughter

Anne Isabella Byron, Baroness Byron Anne Isabella Noel Byron, 11th Baroness Wentworth and Baroness Byron (; 17 May 1792 – 16 May 1860), nicknamed Annabella and commonly known as Lady Byron, was an educational reformer and philanthropist who established the first industrial s ...

). When Judith died in 1822 and then Lord Curzon died without heirs in 1856, the abeyance was terminated in favour of Anne.

References

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

1745 births 1815 deaths Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford *10 British MPs 1774–1780 Noel, Thomas People educated at Eton College {{England-GreatBritain-MP-stub