George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend

George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend PC FRS (18 April 1753-27 July 1811), known as Lord Ferrers of Chartley from 1770 to 1782 and as the Earl of Leicester from 1782 to 1807, was a British peer and politician.

Townshend was the eldest son of George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, and Charlotte Compton, 15th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley and 7th Baroness Compton. He succeeded in the titles held by his mother on her death in 1770 and became known as the Lord Ferrers of Chartley. He was educated at Eton and St John's College, Cambridge, and served for a few years in the Army, achieving the rank of Captain. In March 1782 he was appointed Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, a position he held until May 1783, and was also admitted to the Privy Council in April 1782. Townshend again served as Captain of Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners from December 1783 to 1797.

In 1784 he was created Earl of Leicester in his own right. His choice of title derived from the fact that he was a female-line great-great-great-grandson of Lady Lucy Sydney, daughter of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (a title which had become extinct in 1743). He later held office under William Pitt the Younger and Henry Addington as Master of the Mint from 1790 to 1794, as Joint Postmaster General from 1794 to 1798 and as Lord Steward of the Household from 1799 to 1802. In 1807 he succeeded his father in the marquessate of Townshend.

Apart from his political career Townshend was interested in archaeology and served as President of the Society of Antiquaries. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Trustee of the British Museum.

Lord Townshend married Charlotte, daughter of Mainwaring Ellerker, in 1777. They had two sons, both of whom died childless. He died suddenly in July 1811, aged 58, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son George, who had previously been disinherited. On the latter's death in 1855 the earldom of Leicester became extinct while the marquessate passed to a cousin.

Titles and styles

*The Hon George Townshend (18 April 1753–3 September 1770)
*The Rt Hon The Lord Ferrers of Chartley (3 September 1770–1784)
*The Rt Hon The Earl of Leicester (1784–14 September 1807)
*The Most Hon The Marquess Townshend (14 September 1807–27 July 1811)

References

*Stephen, Sir Leslie; Lee, Sir Sidney (editors). "The Dictionary of National Biography, From the Earliest Times to 1900: Volume XIX, Stow-Tytler". Oxford University Press.
*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]

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