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Charles Marsham, 1st Earl of Romney

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Charles Marsham, 1st Earl of Romney
Engraving of Charles Marsham based on a picture by Sir William Beechey, 1803
Member of Parliament for Kent
In office
1774–1790
Member of Parliament for Maidstone
In office
1768–1774
Personal details
Born(1744-09-28)28 September 1744
Died1 March 1811(1811-03-01) (aged 66)
Spouse
(m. 1776; died 1795)
Children2+, including Charles
Parent
RelativesJacob Marsham (brother)
Robert Marsham (grandfather)
EducationChrist Church, Oxford

Charles Marsham, 1st Earl of Romney (28 September 1744 – 1 March 1811), known as The Lord Romney between 1793 and 1801, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1768 to 1790, inherited his peerage in 1793 and was created Earl of Romney in 1801.

Biography

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Romney was the son of Robert Marsham, 2nd Baron Romney, and Priscilla, daughter and heiress of Charles Pym. He was educated at Eton College (1753-63) and entered Christ Church, Oxford, in 1763. He succeeded his father to the barony on 16 November 1793.[1] In 1793 Charles inherited his grandfather's huge sugar plantations, jointly known as "Romney's", on the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean. The property had been part of his father's marriage settlement to his mother in 1742.[2]

Political career

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Romney was returned to Parliament for Maidstone in 1768, a seat he held until 1774, and then represented Kent from 1774 to 1790. He was also Lord Lieutenant of Kent from 1797 to 1808. [1]

In 1799 he entertained King George III at his seat Moat House, when the King reviewed about six thousand of the Kentish Volunteers.[3] A Doric-style temple was constructed in Mote Park to commemorate the occasion.

Marriage & children

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Lady Frances Wyndham (John Hoppner)

Lord Romney married Lady Frances Wyndham (born 9 July 1755, died 15 January 1795), daughter of Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, on 30 August 1776.[4] They had two surviving children:[5]

Lady Romney died in January 1795 at the age of 39. Lord Romney died in March 1811, aged 66, and was succeeded in the earldom and other titles by his son, Charles.[1]

Honours

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Romney was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766.[6]

In 1801 Romney was created Viscount Marsham, of the Mote in the County of Kent, and Earl of Romney.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "MARSHAM, Hon. Charles (1744-1811), of Maidstone, Kent". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  2. ^ London Docklands Museum, artefact notes
  3. ^ Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, [page needed]
  4. ^ The Peerage.com, entry for Lady Frances Wyndham
  5. ^ Te Peerage.com, entry for 1st Earl of Romney
  6. ^ a b "Fellow details". Royal Society. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
[edit]
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Maidstone
1768–1774
With: Robert Gregory
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Kent
1774–1790
With: Thomas Knight 1774–1780
Filmer Honywood 1780–1790
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Kent
1797–1808
Succeeded by
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Baron Romney
1793–1811
Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Earl of Romney
1801–1811
Succeeded by