William Neville Hart

William Neville Hart (27 December 1741 in St James Palace, London - 23 October 1804, Inverary Castle) was a British banker, politician and diplomat. He was born to Denise Gougeon, the wife of Lewis Augustus Blondeau. His mother was the Under Housekeeper or Mistress of the King’s Household, a position she was to hold for more than fifty years. His father held various positions at Court including that of Gentleman Usher to King George II.

Marriages

Following the death of his father, and the remarriage of his mother to Sir William Hart Kt., a banker and Sheriff of London, William Neville Blondeau took the surname of Hart by private act of Parliament of 22 March 1765. Hart had married firstly on 7 January 1765 Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Cæsar Hawkins, 1st Baronet (1711-1786), serjeant-general to the King, and grandfather of Caesar Hawkins, in turn serjeant-surgeon to Queen Victoria. Elizabeth, unfortunately, died on 30 October 1766 s.p.

He married secondly Elizabeth Aspinwall. Her father was Stanhope Aspinwall, who on his mother’s side, was a great great-grandson of the 1st Earl of Chesterfield. Aspinwall was a diplomat who had served in Constantinople and Algiers and at the time of his death in 1771 was Secretary to Earl Harcourt, Ambassador to the Court of Versailles. Aspinwall’s wife was named Magdalena, but little else appears to be known of her.

En 1783 mistress Elisabeth Aspinwall meurt à Gommerville (Seine-Maritime). C'est Jean-Baptiste Laignel, postillon du marquis de Mirville, qui sollicite le permis d'inhumer le 13 octobre 1783 auprès du lieutenant général au bailliage de Montivilliers pour "dame Elisabeth Aspinwall, femme de Monsieur de Nevilhart, gentilhomme anglais". Elle est enterrée dans le parc du château de Filières (autre château situé à Gommerville et alors propriété du marquis de Mirville). Sa tombe y existe toujours.

In 1783 Miss Elizabeth Aspinwall died at Gommerville, Seine-Maritime. It was Jean-Baptiste Laignel, the driver of the Marquis de Mirville who allowed her to be buried on 13 October 1783 next to the chief judge of the judicial district of Montivilliers for Mrs Elizabeth Aspinwall, wife of Sir Neville Hart, English gentleman.. She is buried in the grounds of Filières chateau (between the chateau at Gommerville and the property of the Marquis de Mirville). Her tomb is still there.

Career in England

Hart entered the banking firm of Blackwell, Hart, Darrell, and Croft, of Pall Mall. Hart entered the House of Commons on 12 April 1770, apparently without opposition, on what interest it is not known. He took the degree of D.C.L. from Oxford University in 1772. In the House of Commons, Hart made seven speeches, one notably on the proposed, Royal Marriages Act 1772; he spoke for the Court. Another dealt with the appointment of Oliver over the printer's case. He did not stand in 1774.

The Continent

After leaving Parliament in 1774, Hart traveled extensively on the Continent, France, Italy, Germany and the northern courts. He went to Poland where he became Chamberlain to Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, the last king of Poland. On 27 December 1794, Hart was created knight of the Order of Saint Stanislaus. King Stanislaus also conferred on him the Order of the White Eagle.

Le 26 juillet 1776 (Saint-Romain de Colbosc notary) William de Nevil-Hart, gentilhomme anglais, docteur ès-lois de l'Université d'Oxford, membre du parlement de Grande-Bretagne, moyennant 500 livres de rentes foncières et viagères, prend à fief du marquis de Mirville le château appelé Château-Joly sur la paroisse de Gommerville (Seine-Maritime) et reconnaît le tenir de lui. Le 11 février 1785, considérant que Château-Joly lui est singulièrement à charge tant pour la rente viagère que pour les réparations et réédifications à faire aux bâtiments, M. de Nevil-Hart le rétrocède, ainsi que tout son contenu, au marquis de Mirville moyenannt décharge des rentes et 2000 livres (Saint-Romain de Colbosc notary)

Back in England

Hart returned to England the following year and in October received a letter from the Duke of Portland to the effect that King George III had authorised him wear the Orders given to him. Even though he was thereafter called Sir William Neville Hart, it is not clear whether the King's authorisatiom went as far as that. He also had the honour of kissing the hands of both the King and of Queen Charlotte as a mark of special favour. While on the Continent, Hart had kept extensive journals, but they were destroyed with other possessions in the 1802 fire at Roseneath Castle, the seat of the Duke of Argyll.

Death

On 23 October 1804, Hart died at Inverary Castle, also owned by the Duke of Argyll, leaving issue, two sons and four daughters, one of whom, Elizabeth, was the wife of Dr John Griffiths, surgeon to Queen Charlotte's Household from 1792 to 1818. A younger daughter, Caroline Frances, was the wife of Lieutenant-General Charles Griffiths (born 3 August 1763), the foster brother to Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (born 16 August 1763). Hart’s second wife, their mother and the daughter of Stanhope Aspinwall, apparently had died earlier in 1783.

References

Burke’s Landed Gentry; 17th Edition 1952; under Copland-Griffiths of Potterne; NOTE at bottom of 2nd column p.1082, and page 1083, right hand column - 4. Charles, Lt.-Gen.

Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal: The Isabel of Essex Volume, Containing the Descendants of Isabel (Plantagenet), Countess of Essex & Eu by Ruvigny and Raineval Staff published by Genealogical Publishing Com, 1994; pp.515 and 516.

The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Chronicle : Volume 53, 1783, 2nd Part, Dec. p.1064, Deaths - the lady of Wm. Neville Hart.

Letters of Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, (Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield), edited by Lord Mahon:Volume II; London; Richard Bentley 1847; Note on p.261.

Oxford Journals: Notes and Queries:

• Blondeau: Gougeon; F.C.H.: 2nd S VI, 156, Dec. 25. 1858 p. 534
• Order of St. Stanislaus: Sir William Neville Hart; H.C.Hart; 2nd S VI, 139, Aug. 28. 1858 pp. 162 and 163
• Sir William Neville Hart and his Descendants; Frederick Copland-Griffiths; 10 S. X. Oct. 3. 1908 pp.263 and 264
• Stanhope Aspinwall; Frederick Copland-Griffiths; 10 S. VI. Dec. 15, 1906 pp.473 and 474

Will of Stanhope Aspinwall dated 14 April 1747, proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 21 May 1771

The House of Commons, 1754-1790; edited by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke; History of Parliament Trust pp.591 and 592

An Accurate Historical Account of All The Orders of Knighthood At Present Existing In Europe; Hanson, Levett (1802). pp. 106 and 107

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/chron-tables/private/p-chron14.htm: 1765 c. 17: William Neville Blondeau (and issue): change of name to Hart.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43942: Denise Blondeau and Lewis Augustus Blondeau

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=92021: Denise Blondeau, wife of Lewis Augustus Blondeau

http://www.history.ac.uk/office/queencharlotte.html#t: Griffiths, John