Family and Education

b. 6 Apr. 1696, 1st s. of Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans, by Diana, da. and h. of Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford; bro. of Lords George, Henry, Sidney, Vere and William Beauclerk. educ. Eton 1706; New Coll. Oxf. 1714; Grand Tour (Italy) 1716-17. m. 13 Dec. 1722, Lucy, da. and coh. of Sir John Werden, 2nd Bt., of Cholmondeston, Cheshire, 1s. 1da. K.B. 27 May 1725; suc. fa. as 2nd Duke 10 May 1726; K.G. 1741.

Offices Held

Jt. (afterwards sole) registrar of the court of chancery 1698-d. ; master of the hawks 1726-d. ; ld. lt. Berks. 1727-d. ; constable and gov. Windsor castle and warden of Windsor forest 1730-d. ; ld. of the bedchamber 1738-d. ; high steward of Windsor.

Biography

Beauclerk’s father, the elder of Charles II’s two sons by Nell Gwynne, had eight sons, six of whom entered Parliament, four for Windsor, where Charles II had built close to the castle a large house, known as Burford House, for Nell Gwynne, entailing it in 1680 on her son, the Duke, and his heirs male.1 The eldest, Charles, Lord Burford, is described by Lord Hervey as ‘one of the weakest men either of the legitimate or spurious brood of Stuarts’.2 While in the Commons he supported the Government. He died 27 July 1751.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: R. S. Lea

Notes

• 1. T. E. Harwood, Windsor Old and New, 122, pl. facing 124.
• 2. Mems. 187.