George St John, 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke
Encyclopedia
George Richard St John, 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke and 4th Viscount St John (5 March 1761 – 11 December 1824), styled The Honourable from birth until 1787, was a British
peer and politician. He became famous in his own lifetime for embarking on a extra-marital relationship with his own half-sister, Mary Beauclerk (his mothers daughter by her second marriage) that produced four sons. The two lovers had to leave England and live on the continent for a time.
and Lady Diana Spencer
, daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
. St John was educated at Eton College
in Berkshire
and Christ Church College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1777. He succeeded his father as viscount in 1787.
for Cricklade
in 1782, representing the constituency as Member of Parliament
(MP) until 1784.
. The first child was delivered in Paris but passed off at home as a child of George and Charlotte's for a time. Mary became pregnant for the second time to George in 1788 and delivered their second child again across the channel. In 1789 both George and Mary along with the two small children left England to live together on the Continent, George leaving behind a wife and three children. They travelled under the name 'Barton' and left instructions to their families not to try and find them. The story quickly reached their circle of family and influential friends, and was reported in The Times (7 July 1789). Mary went on to bear him another two sons, all of whom lived to adulthood. By May 1794 George had abandoned Mary and the four boys for another woman - Isabella Hompesch. Catherine died in 1803, and St John married secondly Isabella Charlotte Antoinette Sophia Hompesch, Baroness von Hompesch on 1 August 1804. By his second wife, he had two daughters and two sons. St John died, aged 63, at Pisa
in Italy on a journey to regain his daughter's health and was succeeded in his titles by his oldest surviving son Henry St John, 4th Viscount Bolingbroke, as the oldest son George had died in 1804 just before his mother.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
peer and politician. He became famous in his own lifetime for embarking on a extra-marital relationship with his own half-sister, Mary Beauclerk (his mothers daughter by her second marriage) that produced four sons. The two lovers had to leave England and live on the continent for a time.
Background
He was the elder son of the famously unhappy marriage between Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount BolingbrokeFrederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke
Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke, 3rd Viscount St John was born on 21 December 1732. His father was John St John, 2nd Viscount St John, half-brother of Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke. His mother was Anne Furnese....
and Lady Diana Spencer
Lady Diana Beauclerk
Not to be confused with the 20th-century Princess of Wales of the same maiden nameLady Diana Beauclerk was an English noblewoman and artist....
, daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , known as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier and politician. He briefly served as Lord Privy Seal in 1755...
. St John was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and Christ Church College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1777. He succeeded his father as viscount in 1787.
Career
St John entered the British House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Cricklade
Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)
Cricklade was a parliamentary constituency named after the town of Cricklade in Wiltshire.From 1295 until 1885, Cricklade was a parliamentary borough, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, previously to the House of Commons of...
in 1782, representing the constituency as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) until 1784.
Family
On 26 February 1783, he married firstly Charlotte Collins, daughter of Reverend Thomas Collins, and had by her two sons and a daughter.. After the birth of three of his children to Charlotte, George embarked on a sexual relationship with his younger half-sister Mary Beauclerk. Mary was a twin from her mothers second marriage to Topham BeauclerkTopham Beauclerk
Topham Beauclerk was a celebrated wit and the only son of Lord Sidney Beauclerk; he was the great-grandson of King Charles II. He was a friend of Dr...
. The first child was delivered in Paris but passed off at home as a child of George and Charlotte's for a time. Mary became pregnant for the second time to George in 1788 and delivered their second child again across the channel. In 1789 both George and Mary along with the two small children left England to live together on the Continent, George leaving behind a wife and three children. They travelled under the name 'Barton' and left instructions to their families not to try and find them. The story quickly reached their circle of family and influential friends, and was reported in The Times (7 July 1789). Mary went on to bear him another two sons, all of whom lived to adulthood. By May 1794 George had abandoned Mary and the four boys for another woman - Isabella Hompesch. Catherine died in 1803, and St John married secondly Isabella Charlotte Antoinette Sophia Hompesch, Baroness von Hompesch on 1 August 1804. By his second wife, he had two daughters and two sons. St John died, aged 63, at Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
in Italy on a journey to regain his daughter's health and was succeeded in his titles by his oldest surviving son Henry St John, 4th Viscount Bolingbroke, as the oldest son George had died in 1804 just before his mother.