William Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland
Encyclopedia
William Henry Cavendish Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland PC, FRS
, FSA
(24 June 1768 – 27 March 1854), styled Marquess of Titchfield until 1809, was a British politician who served in various positions in the governments of George Canning
and Lord Goderich
.
and Lady Dorothy, daughter of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
and Charlotte Boyle, Baroness Clifford. He was the elder brother of Lord William Bentinck
and Lord Charles Bentinck. He was educated at Westminster School
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
for Petersfield
between 1790 and 1791 and for Buckinghamshire
between 1791 and 1809. and served under his father as a Lord of the Treasury
between March and September 1807. He remained out of office until April 1827 when he was appointed Lord Privy Seal
by his brother-in-law George Canning
. He was sworn of the Privy Council the same year. When Lord Goderich
became Prime Minister in August 1827, Portland became Lord President of the Council
, an office he retained until the government fell in January 1828.
Portland also held the honorary post of Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
between 1794 and 1841.
on 4 August 1795. At the time of his marriage he obtained Royal Licence to take the name "Scott" in addition to that of Bentinck. They were parents of nine children:
The Duchess of Portland died in April 1844. Portland survived her by ten years and died in March 1854, aged 85. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his second but eldest surviving son, William
.
The department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham
holds a number of papers relating to Portland: His personal and political papers (Pw H) are part of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection while the Portland (London) Collection (Pl) contains papers relating to his estate business. The Portland Estate Papers held at Nottinghamshire Archives also contain items relating to Portland's properties.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(24 June 1768 – 27 March 1854), styled Marquess of Titchfield until 1809, was a British politician who served in various positions in the governments of George Canning
George Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
and Lord Goderich
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon PC , styled The Honourable F. J. Robinson until 1827 and known as The Viscount Goderich between 1827 and 1833, the name by which he is best known to history, was a British statesman...
.
Background and education
Portland was the eldest son of Prime Minister William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of PortlandWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, KG, PC was a British Whig and Tory statesman, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prime Minister. He was known before 1762 by the courtesy title Marquess of Titchfield. He held a title of every degree of British nobility—Duke,...
and Lady Dorothy, daughter of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, KG, PC , styled Lord Cavendish before 1729 and Marquess of Hartington between 1729 and 1755, was a British Whig statesman who was briefly nominal Prime Minister of Great Britain...
and Charlotte Boyle, Baroness Clifford. He was the elder brother of Lord William Bentinck
Lord William Bentinck
Lieutenant-General Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck GCB, GCH, PC , known as Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman...
and Lord Charles Bentinck. He was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Political career
Portland was Member of ParliamentMember 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,...
for Petersfield
Petersfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Petersfield was an English Parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Petersfield in Hampshire. It existed for several hundred years until its abolition for the 1983 general election....
between 1790 and 1791 and for Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckinghamshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.Its most prominent member was...
between 1791 and 1809. and served under his father as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
between March and September 1807. He remained out of office until April 1827 when he was appointed Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
by his brother-in-law George Canning
George Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
. He was sworn of the Privy Council the same year. When Lord Goderich
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon PC , styled The Honourable F. J. Robinson until 1827 and known as The Viscount Goderich between 1827 and 1833, the name by which he is best known to history, was a British statesman...
became Prime Minister in August 1827, Portland became Lord President of the Council
Lord President of the Council
The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
, an office he retained until the government fell in January 1828.
Portland also held the honorary post of Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex. The office was abolished on 1 April 1965, with the creation of Greater London and the post of Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, with small parts of Middlesex coming under the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, the...
between 1794 and 1841.
Family
Portland married Henrietta, daughter of General John Scott and his wife Margaret (née Dundas), in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 4 August 1795. At the time of his marriage he obtained Royal Licence to take the name "Scott" in addition to that of Bentinck. They were parents of nine children:
- William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Marquess of TitchfieldWilliam Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Marquess of TitchfieldWilliam Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Marquess of Titchfield , was a British Member of Parliament .Titchfield was the eldest son of William Cavendish-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland, and his wife Henrietta . Prime Minister William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland was his grandfather...
(21 August 1796 – 4 March 1824). His birth was commemorated by his paternal grandfather's commissioning of the Portland Font. - Lady Margaret Harriet (21 April] 1798 – 9 April 1882)
- Lady Caroline (6 July 1799 – 23 January 1828)
- William John Cavendish, Marquess of Titchfield, later 5th Duke of PortlandWilliam Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 5th Duke of PortlandWilliam John Cavendish Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 5th Duke of Portland , styled Lord William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck before 1824 and Marquess of Titchfield between 1824 and 1854, was a British aristocratic eccentric who preferred to live in seclusion...
(12 September 1800 – 6 December 1879). - Lord (William) George FrederickLord George BentinckLord George Frederick Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck , better known as simply Lord George Bentinck, was an English Conservative politician and racehorse owner, best known for his role in unseating Sir Robert Peel over the Corn Laws.Bentinck was a younger son of the 4th Duke of Portland, and elected a...
(27 February 1802 – 21 September 1848). - Lord Henry William BentinckLord Henry BentinckLord Henry William Scott-Bentinck , known as Lord Henry Bentinck, was a British Conservative Party politician.-Background:...
(9 June 1804 – 31 December 1870). - Lady Charlotte (1805 – 30 September 1889). Married John Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount OssingtonJohn Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount OssingtonJohn Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount Ossington PC was a British statesman. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1857 to 1872.-Background and education:...
. - Lady Lucy Joan (27 August 1807 – 29 July 1899) Married Charles Ellis, 6th Baron Howard de WaldenCharles Ellis, 6th Baron Howard de WaldenCharles Augustus Ellis, 6th Baron Howard de Walden and 2nd Baron Seaford , was a British diplomat and politician.-Family:...
. - Lady Mary (8 July 1809 – 20 July 1874). Married Sir William Topham.
The Duchess of Portland died in April 1844. Portland survived her by ten years and died in March 1854, aged 85. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his second but eldest surviving son, William
William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 5th Duke of Portland
William John Cavendish Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 5th Duke of Portland , styled Lord William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck before 1824 and Marquess of Titchfield between 1824 and 1854, was a British aristocratic eccentric who preferred to live in seclusion...
.
The department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham
Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham
Manuscripts and Special Collections is part of Information Services at the University of Nottingham. It is based at King's Meadow Campus in Nottingham in England...
holds a number of papers relating to Portland: His personal and political papers (Pw H) are part of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection while the Portland (London) Collection (Pl) contains papers relating to his estate business. The Portland Estate Papers held at Nottinghamshire Archives also contain items relating to Portland's properties.
Titles
- William Bentinck, Marquess of Titchfield (1768–1795)
- William Scott-Bentinck, Marquess of Titchfield (1795–1801)
- William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, Marquess of Titchfield (1801–1809)
- William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland (1809–1854)