Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton
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Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton, KCB
, PC (c. 1718 – 5 July 1765), styled Marquess of Winchester from 1754 to 1759, was a British soldier, nobleman and Whig
politician. He was the eldest son of Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton
and Catherine Parry.
Educated at Winchester
, he joined the British Army
and became a lieutenant-colonel
in 1745. Powlett was a Groom of the Bedchamber to Frederick, Prince of Wales
from 1749 until the Prince's death in 1751. He had been promoted lieutenant general
by 12 March 1752, when he was made a KCB
.
Upon the succession of his father to the Dukedom in December 1754, he became known as Marquess of Winchester, and he left his seat at Lymington
to succeed his father in Hampshire
. He would remain member for that county until his accession as Duke of Bolton in 1759. On 22 December 1758, he was sworn of the Privy Council.
On 5 July 1765, Bolton committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol in his house in Grosvenor Square
; "nobody knows why or wherefore," wrote Horace Walpole, "except that there is a good deal of madness in the blood". He left most of his fortune to his illegitimate daughter, Jean Mary Browne-Powlett (c.1751–1814), who married Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton
. He was succeeded to the Dukedom by his brother Harry
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, PC (c. 1718 – 5 July 1765), styled Marquess of Winchester from 1754 to 1759, was a British soldier, nobleman and Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
politician. He was the eldest son of Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton
Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton
Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton PC , known until 1754 as Lord Harry Powlett, was a British nobleman and Whig politician, the second son of Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton and Frances Ramsden...
and Catherine Parry.
Educated at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, he joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and became a lieutenant-colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1745. Powlett was a Groom of the Bedchamber to Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
from 1749 until the Prince's death in 1751. He had been promoted lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
by 12 March 1752, when he was made a KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Upon the succession of his father to the Dukedom in December 1754, he became known as Marquess of Winchester, and he left his seat at Lymington
Lymington (UK Parliament constituency)
Lymington was a parliamentary borough in Hampshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1868, and then one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-1584-1640:- 1640-1868 :...
to succeed his father in Hampshire
Hampshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Hampshire was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832...
. He would remain member for that county until his accession as Duke of Bolton in 1759. On 22 December 1758, he was sworn of the Privy Council.
On 5 July 1765, Bolton committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol in his house in Grosvenor Square
Grosvenor Square
Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the exclusive Mayfair district of London, England. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from their surname, "Grosvenor".-History:...
; "nobody knows why or wherefore," wrote Horace Walpole, "except that there is a good deal of madness in the blood". He left most of his fortune to his illegitimate daughter, Jean Mary Browne-Powlett (c.1751–1814), who married Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton
Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton
Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton PC was born Thomas Orde, son of John Orde of Morpeth, Northumberland. He was educated at Eton and at King's College, Cambridge, graduating Master of Arts in 1773....
. He was succeeded to the Dukedom by his brother Harry
Harry Powlett, 6th Duke of Bolton
Admiral Harry Powlett, 6th Duke of Bolton PC was a British nobleman and naval officer.He was the second son of Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton and Catherine Parry. Educated at Winchester , he joined the Royal Navy, becoming a lieutenant aboard Shrewsbury on 4 March 1740...
.