Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne

Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne KG (31 January 1785-12 January 1851), known as Earl of Lincoln from 1794 to 1795, was a British nobleman and politician.

Pelham-Clinton was the eldest son of Thomas Pelham-Clinton, 3rd Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, and his wife Lady Anna Maria (née Stanhope), and was educated at Eton College. His father died when he was ten years old. In 1803, encouraged by the Peace of Amiens which provided a break in hostilities with France, his mother and stepfather took him on a European Tour. Unfortunately, war broke out once again, and the young duke was detained at Tours in 1803, where he remained until 1806.

He served as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire from 1809 to 1839 and was also Steward of Sherwood Forest and of Folewood Park. In 1812 he was made a Knight of the Garter. He did not hold any national office but he was extremely active in politics. From 1826 he became one of the leaders of the so-called 'Ultra-Tory' faction, staunchly supporting the traditional establishment of Church, Country and State. He was a vehement opponent of policies such as Catholic Emancipation, and also of electoral reform. This stance led to attacks on his property during the Reform Bill Riots of 1831. Nottingham Castle was burnt to the ground and his residences at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire and Portman Square, London also had to be fortified against the mob.

Pelham-Clinton married Georgiana Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Edward Miller Mundy, in 1807. They had six sons and five daughters:

* Lady Anna Maria (1810-1822)
* Henry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne
* Lady Georgiana (1812-1874)
* Lady Charlotte (1812-1886)
* Lord Charles Pelham (1813-1894)
* Lord Thomas Charles (1813-1882)
* Lord William (1815-1850)
* Lord Edward (1816-1842)
* Lady Caroline Augusta (1818-1898), m Sir Cornwallis Ricketts in 1852
* Lady Henrietta (1819-1890), m Admiral Edwin Clayton D'Eyncourt in 1859
* Lord Robert Renebald (1820-1867)

The Duchess of Newcastle-under-Lyne died in 1822. Pelham-Clinton never remarried and died in January 1851, aged 65. He was succeeded by his eldest son Henry, who was a prominent politician.

The papers of the 4th Duke, including his very detailed personal diaries for the period 1822-1851, are now held by Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University of Nottingham.

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/ www.thepeerage.com]

External links

* [http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mss/collections/family-estate/collections/newcastle/4thnewcastle_under_lyne.phtml Biography of the 4th Duke, with links to online catalogues, from Manuscripts and Special Collections at The University of Nottingham]
* [http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mss/learning/newcastle-diaries/index.phtml 'Politics of the 4th Duke of Newcastle' e-learning resource from Manuscripts and Special Collections at The University of Nottingham]