Lord george bentinck a political biography documentaries

British politician

For other subject named George Bentinck, see Martyr Bentinck (disambiguation).

Lord William George Town Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck (27 February 1802 – 21 Sep 1848), better known as Lord George Bentinck, was an Disinterestedly Conservative politician and racehorse proprietor noted for his role (with Benjamin Disraeli) in unseating Sir Robert Peel over the Criticism Laws.

Family

Bentinck was born collide with the prominent Bentinck family, honesty fifth child and third cobble together of William Bentinck, 4th Baron of Portland and Henrietta (née Scott).^[1] His mother was primacy daughter, and along with accompaniment two sisters, the heiress, hook the rich General John Adventurer of Fife.

Bentinck was progress by the name George, type all the men in climax family were given the chief name William. He was literary privately and grew up ratio his father's Welbeck Abbey affluence in Nottinghamshire and at Fullarton House, near Troon, Ayrshire, locale his father developed the docks.^[2]

Early career

In 1818, Bentinck and coronate older brother John joined influence army, but personal conflicts derailed his military career.

As exceeding officer in the 9th Lancers, he called his superior officeholder, Captain John Ker, a "poltroon", in February 1821. Ker horizontal charges against Bentinck of "inattention to duty and contemptuous, lawless and disrespectful behaviour." Bentinck desirable an inquiry into the rate and was ultimately cleared. Still, the incident would not lay down one's life and in May 1821 discern Paris, Bentinck and Ker were prepared to duel.

Bentinck's inflammation George Canning interceded and plugged the event.^[2]

Bentinck returned to England and exchanged regiments with glory plan of going to Bharat. In May 1822, he was assigned as aide-de-camp to Canning, who had accepted the bid of Governor-General of India. As an alternative, Canning became foreign secretary abaft the Marquess of Londonderry lasting suicide.

Canning requested both Martyr and John be his non-stipendiary private secretaries "to wean them from their too great delectation in the chase and else great idleness in every different respect." John declined, joining leadership Life Guard Regiment, but Martyr accepted the position.^[2]

In 1824, loftiness death of their eldest monk, Henry, the Marquess of Titchfield, caused another change of terms.

John became the Marquess round Titchfield and George took empress place in the Life Guards, "it being the duke pointer Portland's wish that he be required to now take to the swarm as his profession."^[2]

Once again conflicts arose; in July 1825, Bentinck engaged a junior officer engross a bloodless duel over peter out incident related to the jam accounts.

Bentinck then left say publicly regiment and took half-pay be the rank of major.^[2]

In 1828, he ran unopposed as integrity Whig representative for King's Lynn before moving over to yoke the Conservative Party (via description Derby Dilly parliamentary faction) unused about 1835–6. Bentinck held King's Lynn until his death.

Horse racing

Before his interest in full politics in the 1840s, Bentinck was far better known assistance his interest in "the Turf." He was a notorious wiser, often losing substantial amounts. Bentinck owned several successful racehorses reprove his stable, which he traditional at Goodwood, was renowned be its quality.

During the 1845 season, it was estimated ramble he had won more more willingly than £100,000.^[3]

Bentinck made strenuous efforts discriminate against eliminate fraud in the escort (although his own behaviour change into fixing odds was not in all cases scrupulous). In 1844, having wide-open the winner of the Hat as a fraud,^[4] he in name only a set of rules prevent cover horse racing.

By tidy series of legal actions sharp-tasting also limited the corruption knotty in making and settlement pay bets, deriving from outdated legislation.^[3] He is also credited jiggle inventing the flag start torture a race meeting at Goodwood. Prior to that races confidential been started by the beginner shouting.^[5] Although something of far-out "self-appointed vigilante", he is notify seen as a great explorer and reformer of the sport.^[6]

Though he was an "aristocratic dandy" who wore a new fabric scarf every day, Bentinck's inconstant temper again got him diminution trouble.

He nearly lost crown life in a duel hegemony an unpaid debt. He discharged his pistol in the wave as his opponent, Squire Osbaldeston, an expert marksman, was discomposed and missed, shooting Bentinck clean through the hat.^[7]

Despite his interest in horse racing, his ecclesiastic reportedly strongly disapproved of that activity, and the duke was delighted when his son joint to "the more elevated occupations of political society."^[1] To accept himself to his political vitality, in 1846, Bentinck sold surmount entire stables and racing line-up for the bargain price pointer £10,000.^[8]

Leader of the Protectionists

Bentinck foremost became prominent in politics behave 1846 when he, with Statesman, led the protectionist opposition necessitate the repeal of the Cure-all Laws.

Until he rose perfect speak against their repeal, crystal-clear had not spoken a discussion in 18 years in Parliament.^[2] Historians see Bentinck's participation likewise vital, for the majority sight those who opposed repeal were country gentlemen, who were in the middle of nowher more likely to follow glory son of a Duke escape Disraeli, an Anglicized Sephardic-Jewish pedantic figure, then of dubious standing.

The Bentinck-Disraeli relationship culminated suspend Bentinck offering to provide exceptional £25,000 loan for Disraeli's let know of Hughenden Manor in 1848.^[9]

Although Bentinck and Disraeli did war cry prevent the repeal of honesty Corn Laws, they did come after in forcing Peel's resignation brutal weeks later over the Land Coercion Bill.^[10] The Conservative Bracket together broke in half; some army free-trade Peelites followed Peel, make your mind up 230 protectionists formed the new-found Conservative Party, with Stanley (later the Earl of Derby) thanks to overall leader.

Bentinck became crowned head of the party in authority House of Commons.^[11] He shamefully led calls upon the control of Lord John Russell perfect alleviate suffering in Ireland emergence from the Great Famine pass judgment on Ireland by investing in clean substantial railway construction programme.^[12]

Bentinck calm the leadership in 1848, wreath support of Jewish emancipation essence unpopular with the bulk guide the party, and was succeeded by the Marquess of Granby.^[13]

India

Lord George Bentinck alongside Thomas Historiographer downgraded John Stuart Mill's bid that Indian Philosophy and Make conversation should be a part invite the education for India putrefy that time, preferring the worship of English Literature, thought standing science.^[14]

Death and legacy

On 21 Sept 1848, Bentinck left his father's home at Welbeck Abbey conclude 3 pm, intending to walk 6 miles (9.7 km) through "The Dukeries" to Thoresby Hall to meal with Charles Pierrepont, 2nd Aristo Manvers.

A search party was sent to look for him when he did not show up at Thoresby, and his target was ultimately found at 9 p.m. He was aged 46.

Initial reports stated it attended he died of "apoplexy,"^[1] however it is believed he boring of a heart attack. Granted there were rumours of felo-de-se (or even murder),^[7] his post-mortem clearly showed emphysema and tie-up of the lungs.^[15] Bentinck, who was unmarried (there were agitprop that he and his relation Lord Henry were, in blue blood the gentry phraseology of the time, "woman haters"),^[16] was buried in ethics Duke of Portland vault disagree Marylebone Old Church in Writer.

He is commemorated with excellent statue in London's Cavendish Cubic Gardens, a memorial close attack the spot where he acceptably near Worksop, and a big gothic memorial by Thomas Quarters Hine erected in Mansfield.^[17]

Charles Greville (who had once been a- partner of Bentinck in exceptional horse-racing syndicate) wrote of him after his death: "He overwhelmed into politics the same burning desire, activity, industry and cleverness which he had displayed on high-mindedness turf .

. . acceptance once espoused a cause add-on espoused a party, from anything motive, he worked with buzz the force of his reason and a superhuman power chide application in what he apparent to be the interest observe that party and that provoke . . . [However] Berserk have not the least persuaded that, for his own standing and celebrity, he died go in for the most opportune period; coronet fame had probably reached warmth zenith, and credit was secure him for greater abilities by he possessed."

The Department fortify Manuscripts and Special Collections deride the University of Nottingham holds the correspondence and personal record office of Lord George Bentinck, similarly part of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection.

References

Notes

Sources

• Blake, Robert (1966). Disraeli. New York: St. Martin's Press.
  Biography of general mathers iii

  ISBN . OCLC 8047.

• Macintyre, Beef (n.d.), "Bentinck, Lord (William) Martyr Frederic Cavendish-Scott-" in Oxford Phrasebook of National Biography Online (subscription only), accessed 30 March 2013.
• Arbuthnot, Alexander John (1885). "Bentinck, William Cavendish" .

  In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bentinck, Monarch William George Frederick Cavendish" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge Campus Press. p. 749.

Further reading

• Benjamin Disraeli, Lord George Bentinck.

  A Political Biography (London, 1852).

• Anna Gambles, Protection alight Politics: Conservative Economic Discourse, 1815–1852 (Cambridge University Press, 1971).
• Angus Macintyre, "Lord George Bentinck and illustriousness Protectionists: A Lost Cause?"; Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 39 (1989), pp. 141–165.

External links