George Lyttelton PC (1709 - 1773)

Born 17 Jan 1709 in Westminster, Middlesex, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 1773 at age 64 in Hagley, Worcestershire, England [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Gill Whitehouse [send private message] and England Project WikiTree [send private message]

George Lyttelton PC is managed by the England Project. Join: England Project Discuss: england

Biography

George Lyttelton PC is Notable.

George was born 17 Jan 1709 and baptised the same day in St James, Piccadilly, Westminster to his parents Thomas Lyttleton 4th Bt MP and Christian (Temple) Lyttelton.^[1]

Early life

After attending Eton school, he matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford on the 11 Feb 1726 but left without any degrees. His tutor at Oxford, later marrying George's sister Ann (Lyttleton) Ayscough, was Francis Ayscough.^{[2] [3]}

Following his short time at Oxford^[4], he embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe during which he wrote a poem to his tutor in Paris in 1728 ^[5]

First marriage

He was married to Lucy Fortescue in June 1742 apparently at St Georges, Hanover Square, though no marriage record has been found in the parish registers. There is a marriage licence however, dated 14 Jun 1742 ^[6], and there was a marriage settlement at the time. ^[7]

They had three children: Thomas,^[8] whose birth date is unclear but was baptised on 26 February 1744 at St James, Westminster, Lucy,^[9] who was baptised 9 April 1743, also at St James, and Mary, born on 1 January and baptised 23 January 1747, at St Anne, Soho, Westminster^[10] whose birth was noted in the Gentleman's Magazine, but who seems to have died in infancy.

Jan 1. Lady of Hon George Lyttelton Esq; delivr’d of a daughter.^[11]

Lucy died the same year, 19 January 1747, shortly after Mary's birth.^[2] The loss of his wife affected George enough to write a long and emotional monody (a poem in which one person laments another's death) about her, in 19 verses. Verse XVII: ^[12]

For my distracted mind
What succour can I find ?
On whom for consolation shall l call?
Support me, every friend.
Your kind assistance lend
To bear the weight of this oppressive woe.
Alas! each friend of mine,
My dear departed love, so much was thine,
That none has any comfort to bestow.
My books, the best relief
In every other grief,
Are now with your idea sadden’d all :
Each fav'rite author we together read
My tortur'd mem'ry wounds, and speaks of Lucy dead.

Second marriage

On 10 August 1749, he married for the second time, to Elizabeth Rich, the daughter of Sir Robert Rich 4th Bt of Roos Hall, Suffolk.^[13][14] This was not a happy marriage like his first, Elizabeth had an affair with George Durant in 1756, and within ten years of marrying they had separated. ^[15]

Hagley Hall

When his father died in 1751, after the many legacies left to Thomas' children, servants and friends, the Infirmary at Worcester and the Foundling Hospital in London, the rest of the estate including Hagley Hall was left to George.^[16]

In the mid 1750s he decided to build a completely new Hagley Hall in the grounds of Hagley Park. He decided on a design by Sanderson Miller, ^[17] who although initially was an amateur architect and landscaper, soon flourished under George's patronage.

Poets and Authors

Being a poet himself, George had many friends and acquaintances in the literary world. In the 1730s he was a friend of Alexander Pope. A letter from Jonathan Swift to Pope^[18], mentions the friendship:

May 10, 1739.

You are to suppose, for the little time I shall live, that my memory is entirely gone, and especially of anything that was told me last night, or this morning. I have one favour to entreat from you, I know the high esteem and friend- ship you bear to your friend Mr. Lyttelton, whom you call “ the rising genius of this age...''

Henry Fielding went to Eton where he became friends with George, and not only modeled one of his characters in Tom Jones, Squire Allworthy, on him but dedicated the book to him as well.^[19]

Examples of George's poetry can be found at Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive

Political Life

George was well connected politically through family. As well as his father being an M.P., his brother in law was William Pitt (the elder) through the marriage of William's brother Thomas to Christian Lyttleton, George's sister. ^[20] William as well, married a cousin of George, Hester Grenville. He was also linked to Richard Grenville-Temple and George Grenville PC who were cousins through his mother’s sister, Hester (Temple) Grenville. Together they formed a political group known variously as Cobham's Cubs, Cobhamites and Grenville Cousins.

In 1735 he was elected MP for Okehampton in Devon, a constituency that he held until 1756,^[2] when his brother in law William Pitt the Elder took hold of it.

In 1747 "An Act for taking away and abolishing the heritable jurisdictions in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, and for restoring such jurisdictions to the Crown" was put forward by the Lord Chancellor, and by all accounts George gave an impressive speech in the House of Commons, that even Horace Walpole who seldom missed an opportunity to ridicule him, said:

We have had a great and fine day in the House on the second reading of the Bill for taking away the Heritable Jurisdictions in Scotland. Lyttelton made the finest oration imaginable.^[21]

Offices held: ^[22]

Secretary to Frederick, Prince of Wales 1737-44

Lord of Treasury 1744-54

Cofferer of the Household Mar. 1754-Nov. 1755

Privy Council. 21 June 1754

Chancellor of the Exchequer Nov. 1755-Nov. 1756.

In 1756 he was created Lord Lyttelton, Baron of Frankley in the County of Worcester, and continued to speak in the House of Lords until a year before his death.

At Rest

George died in 1773, and was laid to rest in St John the Baptist Church, Hagley,^[23] with the simple memorial that he requested.

A simple memorial inscription in Hagley Church.

Legatees:

Son in Law Lord Arthur Viscount Valentia

Daughter in Law Apphia Lyttelton, wife of the Honourable Thomas Lyttelton

Daughter Lucy Fortescue Vicountess Valentia

Brother William Henry Lyttelton Esquire

Master Henry Peach (his daughter in law’s nephew)

Friend Wilson Aylesbury Robert Esquire

Executors: William Henry Lyttelton Esquire and Wilson Aylesbury Robert Esquire

Research Notes

I haven't found a profile for Elizabeth Rich connecting this profile to Robert Rich Rich-4401 Whitehouse-2064 14:16, 15 July 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ George Littleton, Ancestry.com. Westminster, London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: STG/PR/7/57 Accessed on ancestry.co.uk, 14 July 2021.
   • View Ancestry uk Record WestminsterEarlyParish #1309053 (requires subscription).
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.co.uk, (bottom right of page)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom by [Cokayne, George Edward], 1825-1911. Page 185, [from old catalog], Publication date 1887, Topics Nobility, Nobility, Publisher, London, G. Bell & sons, Collection americana, Digitizing sponsor Google, Book from the collections of Harvard University, Internet Archive (Accessed 12 Jul 2021)
3. ↑ Marriage of Ann Lyttelton and Francis Ayscough Ancestry.com. Westminster, London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: STJ/PR/6/15 Accessed on ancestry.co.uk, 14 July 2021.
   • View Ancestry uk Record 61865 #91813160 (requires subscription).
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.co.uk,
4. ↑ [1]Foster, Joseph, Alumni oxoniensis : the members of the University of Oxford, 1500-1886: their parentage, birthplace, and year of birth, with a record of their degrees. Being the matriculation register of the University, alphabetically arranged, revised and annotated, pub University of Oxford, 1891, P887
5. ↑ George Lord Lyttelton in A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands Vol II https://archive.org/details/acollectionpoem22dodsgoog/page/n41/mode/2up, (Accessed 15 Jul 2021) Publisher printed for J. Dodsley Collection europeanlibraries Digitizing sponsor Google Book from the collections of Oxford University Language English
6. ↑ Groom: George Lyttelton; Bride: Lucy Fortescue License Date: 14 Jun 1742 https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FM%2F705102589%2F1 Dioceses of England & Wales, Faculty Office Marriage Licences, Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records, Parish Marriages; Society of Genealogists Transcriptions © Society of Genealogists (Accessed 11 Jul 2021)
7. ↑ Deeds and counterpart deed, including a settlement before the marriage of George... https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/38c27ab1-24da-4e3c-b647-20a63b4ec451 (Accessed 11 Jul 2021) Ref 705:1014/9191/1/1 - 8
8. ↑ Thomas Lyttleton son of George Esq and Lucy, Ancestry.com. Westminster, London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: STJ/PR/1/8 Source Information Accessed on ancestry.co.uk, 14 July 2021.
   • View Ancestry uk Record WestminsterEarlyParish #1840653 (requires subscription).
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.co.uk, (Entry on centre right of page).
9. ↑ Lucy Fortescue Lyttleton of George Esq & Lucy, Ancestry.com. Westminster, London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: STJ/PR/1/8 Accessed on ancestry.co.uk, 14 July 2021.
   • View Ancestry uk Record WestminsterEarlyParish #1839904 (requires subscription).
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.co.uk,
10. ↑ Mary Lyttelton of George Lyttelton Esq & Lucey Ancestry.com. Westminster, London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2020. City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: SML/PR/3/11, Accessed on ancestry.co.uk, 14 July 2021).
    • View Ancestry uk Record 61865 #594481 (requires subscription).
    • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.co.uk, 8th entry, top left.
11. ↑ Lady of Hon George Lyttelton Esq; delivr’d of a daughter. The Gentleman's Magazine 1747-01: Volume 17, Issue 1, page 47 (Accessed 11 Jul 2021) Publication date 1747-01 Topics History, Historical Journals, microfilm; Publisher Open Court Publishing Co; Collection pub_gentlemans-magazine; sim_microfilm; periodicals, Digitizing sponsor Kahle/Austin Foundation, Contributor Internet Archive, Volume 17
12. ↑ A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands by Robert Dodsley, (Accessed 15 Jul 2021) Publication date 1782, Collection europeanlibraries, Digitizing sponsor Google, Book from the collections of Oxford University, Internet Archive
13. ↑ Licence date: 9 Aug 1749, Grooms last name: Lyttelton, Brides last name: Rich Dioceses of the Province of Canterbury Vicar General Marriage Licences Society of Genealogists, Transcriptions © Society of Genealogists https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FM%2F706262793%2F2 (Accessed 15 Jul 2021)
14. ↑ Marriage date: 10 Aug 1749 St John the Baptist Church, New Windsor, Berkshire Name: Hon George Lyttleton Spouse’s name Elizabeth Richards Berkshire Family History Society, Transcriptions © Berkshire Family History Society https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FM%2F251088443%2F1 (Accessed 15 Jul 2021)
15. ↑ https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/durant-george-1731-80 (Accessed 15 Jul 2021)
16. ↑ [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D552018 Catalogue description Will of Sir Thomas Lyttelton of Hagley , Worcestershire] (Accessed 12 Jul 2021) Reference: PROB 11/791/204 Description: Will of Sir Thomas Lyttelton of Hagley , Worcestershire, Date: 21 November 1751 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s), Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
17. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanderson_Miller
18. ↑ https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.79370/page/n155/mode/2up?q=George+Lyttelton, (Accessed 15 Jul 2021) The Correspondence Of Jonathan Swift Vol Vi, by Ball F Elrington, Publication date 1914, Topics RMSC, Collection digitallibraryindia; JaiGyan
19. ↑ THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART MUSEUM, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS (Accessed 15 Jul 2021)
20. ↑ Thomas Pitt M.P. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/pitt-thomas-1705-61
21. ↑ Memoirs and correspondence of George, Lord Lyttelton, from 1734 to 1773 by Phillimore, Robert, Sir, 1810-1885 https://archive.org/details/memoirscorrespon00philuoft/page/252/mode/2up (Accessed 15 Jul 2021) Publication date 1845, Topics Lyttelton, George Lyttelton, Baron, 1709-1773, Great Britain -- History 18th century Publisher London : J. Ridgway Collection robarts; toronto, Digitizing sponsor MSN, Contributor Robarts - University of Toronto
22. ↑ https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/lyttelton-george-1709-73 (Accessed 15 Jul 2021)
23. ↑ Geo Lyttelton Burial date 31 Agust 1773, Hagley, Worcestershire Midland Ancestors, Transcriptions © Midland Ancestors https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=BMD%2FNBI%2F01897526 (Accessed 15 July 2021)
24. ↑ Probate 9 Nov 1773 Frankley, Worcs (Accessed 12 Jul 2021) https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D557783 Reference: PROB 11/992/197 Description: Will of The Right Honorable George Lord Lyttelton Baron of Frankley of Worcester of Hill Street Berkeley Square , Middlesex Date: 09 November 1773 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

See also:

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p1010.htm#i10095
• Lyttelton, Baron (GB, 1756 - 1779) Cracroft's Peerage
• Wikipedia entry for George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton

Acknowledgments

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail.