Letters and papers of William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington

This series of letters and papers was created or kept by William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington in the period before he became the 4th Duke of Devonshire (after the death of his father) on 5th December 1755.
The letters cover significant times including going abroad to finish his education on the grand tour, his engagement and marriage to Lady Charlotte Boyle, sitting in the House of Commons as an MP and his role as Master of the Horse and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland up to the day he succeeded his father as Duke and took up his seat in the House of Lords.

The letters to Dr R. Newcome from 1739 - 1740 concern Lord Hartington's grand tour across Europe and include descriptions of what he saw; how he travelled; where he stayed; who he met; the reception he received; the customs and ceremonies including assemblies. He includes mention of entertainment including dancing, fencing, music, learning languages, studying architecture and playing card games such as Quadrille and Pharo.

From 1741 Lord Hartington writes to Dr Newcome concerning general personal news as well as politics in Parliament and current affairs. He considers Dr Newcome's question of the likelihood of war with Spain and France and; he reports the planned proroguing of Parliament. He mentions his travel plans and people he has seen including Dr Cheyney, as well as conversations with his father, advice for Dr Newcome and his compliments to people with Dr Newcome and his intentions to visit.

In1744-1745 he writes to Dr Newcome of: his proposed marriage to Lady Charlotte Boyle when she is of age (CS1/260/44); the bill to make correspondence with the Pretender's son a treasonous offence; sitting for his picture by Mr Davison (CS1/260/47); an account of the Jacobite rebels and General Wade's actions (starting from CS1/260/57).

To Wellbore Ellis he writes concerning the death of his friend James who he was living with and his dislike for Bath (CS1/260/8).

A draft letter to Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington concerns his gratitude for having Lord Burlington's permission to marry Lady Charlotte and his honourable intentions (CS1/260/53).

To his father, the 3rd Duke of Devonshire, Lord Hartington writes, over a 13-year period, concerning his personal as well as foreign affairs taking place as well as events occurring such as births, deaths and marriages of people known to him and the 3rd Duke. There is also some mention of estate matters that concern the Cavendish family. However, most of these letters cover political affairs relating to Lord Hartington's roles as an MP (1741-1751) sitting in the House of Commons, Master of the Horse and a Privy Councillor (1751-1755). and then as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1755-1757). There is a clear change in the type of political affairs he reports to his father as His role changes from one in the House of Commons to one in the head of state's court and then to the head of the government of Ireland. After his marriage to Lady Charlotte in 1748, his letters to his father also contain more personal news.

In these letters to the 3rd Duke, Lord Hartington includes details of:

Political Affairs

Voting against his petition to the House of Commons; presenting petitions to Parliament; the Derbyshire election; party members; the Westminster election; Mr Richard Plummer; messages he has taken from the 3rd Duke to other people especially Mr Pelham; a secret committee against Lord Orford; Chippenham election; Sir Robert Walpole and his weakening party; visiting [Horatio] Walpole at Woolerton; the Commission of Peace; Lord Orford's fall and pamphlets published about it; the King's movements; the Duke of Marlborough; recommendations for vacant posts; Lord Duncannon; debates, speeches and votes in Parliament; Mr Pitt; changes to post-holders in Government; new peerages; action at sea; rejected bill about treason by the Privy Council; the Hanover troops; the threat of an invasion from French ships [1743-1744]; the Pretender's son in France; Toulon squadron; Denbigh election; East India Company loan for fourteen more years added to their charter; sighting of the French squadron off Lizard Point; unrest in the Scottish highlands; General Cope going to Scotland; Sir John Norris; duty [tax] on sugar and linen; embargo upon shipping in Ireland; movements of the French fleet; the order to disarm all Roman Catholics; battles at sea and destruction of ships; the port of Alicante and the Spanish fleet; Captain Legge; Prince of Monaco saved in storms at sea; the Black House; vacating his seat in Parliament (CS1/260/49); movements of the Jacobite rebels (starting from CS1/260/49); affairs at court; Jacobite rebels at Dalkeith; Sir Robert Wilmot; impeachment of Lord Lovate; the Bridport election; the Dutch army; accounts from Genoa of militia; John Stanhope and the general election of 1747; description of a conversation with Mr Pelham concerning his brother (CS1/260/68); cabinet council; siege of Bergen op zoom; breaking up of the French troops in return for sending back the Russians; signing of the peace and the delay from the Court of Vienna; the resignation of Colonel Fitzroy; cessions in the West Indies; progress of the peace treaty in Hanover (CS1/260/95); the election of 1751; Lord Hartington's movements and attendance at court; the affair of the resignation of Lord Harcourt (from CS1/260/111); Harry Fox and Mr Stone; Spanish affairs concerning Ensenada (CS1/260/118); Sir Robert Wilmott and Mr Ponsonby relating to the dispute in appointing the solicitor for the Treasury (CS1/260/131); discussion of subsidies in Parliament (1755); the 3rd Duke's declaration against the [Russian and Hessian] treaties causing distress (CS1/260/177); Leicester House subsidies; passing of the money bill.

Lord Hartington's Lieutenancy of Ireland (from 1755)

His journeys to Dublin; his endeavour to ensure the sole management of Ireland was not in the Primate's hands; his interactions with the Speaker and Mr Malone; his dinner companions; letters to the Duke of Newcastle; returning to England or staying in Ireland; living at Castleton; his wine order; Lord Bessborough; the people's dislike of the Primate (CS1/260/140); Colonel Conway's movements (CS1/260/142); a disagreement with the 3rd Duke about the role of the Primate out of Government (CS1/260/142A); the proposal for a public building for the public records and a lighthouse at the end of the pier in Dublin harbour (CS1/260/145); the Duke of Newcastle's displeasure at Lord Hartington's letter about the Primate; sending messages with Colonel Conway; his conversation with Clements; Mayor of Kinsale; the Duke of Newcastle's agreement to leave the management of Irish affairs entirely to Lord Hartington (CS1/260/162); rioters in Dublin with white cockaids; Lord Kildare's support and interception with the Speaker on Lord Hartington's behalf (CS1/260/168); his resolution for the address in an attempt to obtain peace; soliciting for opinions from the King about his address; the 3rd Duke's objections to his paper (CS1/260/173); the Speaker's betrayal over Lord Hartington's speech; opening of their letters by the opposition; his mistrust of the Speaker; the Wexford election; Gisborne watching suspected people in Waterford; attack of Mr Patrick Kirwan at Lucas's coffee house by Mr Brereton.

Family Matters

The health of the 3rd Duke; correspondence with his mother; the 3rd Duke being in Ireland; copy of an indenture for the 3rd Duke; Lord Burlington's agreement of the indenture and jointure for Lady Charlotte on her marriage to Lord Hartington and Sir Abdy's observations on the indenture (from CS1/260/60); living arrangements with Lady Charlotte and the Burlingtons after their marriage; money for a house and the title of the house; Mr Perkins and deeds and marriage settlements in his hands (CS1/260/78); Mr Duten working on earrings [for Charlotte?]; Lady Charlotte's good health and false reports of miscarriage; an operation on Lady Hartington's breast; Freddy [Lord Frederick Cavendish] at camp (1755); Sligo salmon sent to his mother.

Estate Matters

Lord Scardale's estate; Sir Abdy's request for a rent-roll of the estates specified in the 3rd Duke's Act of Parliament (CS1/260/65A); a watchman who ran away and later returns wanting his job back; the harvest and the 3rd Duke's hay; Mrs Elkin's affairs.

Derbyshire

Appointing sheriffs [for Derby]; a list of justices for Mr Gisborne; arms directed to Mr Gisborne in Derby from the tower in London with an inventory; Lord Barrington's compliments to the 3rd Duke for his actions in Derbyshire [raising a militia]; riot at Derby and; Tom Gisborne's account of the cattle.

Pastimes and travelling

Sport he has partaken in; his horses; dining at White's club; fishing tackle and billiard sticks; a lame Chestnut colt and a grey horse from Mr William Leveson; lottery ticket numbers for his sister Betty; visiting Tunbridge and; his fall during hunting.

News relating to people known to Lord Hartington and the 3rd Duke

Widow Fletcher's burnt paper mill; various messages from people who require things from the 3rd Duke; smallpox infections; Mr Longden; the steward's ill health; the ill health of the King of Sardinia; King of Portugal's diamond from "the Brasile"; Mr Pelham having shingles; Lord Orford's ill health; the elopement of Lord Walpole from Cambridge (CS1/260/85); Sir William Corbert's case of dropsy; Lord and Lady Burlington's movements; the affair of Sir Thomas Abney prosecuted in Westminster Hall; "Cacklemackle"'s post house; Mr Bellwood; the death of Mr Pelham, Prime Minister (CS1/260/115); people wishing for the 3rd Duke to be in town; paralytic stroke of Luke Gardiner (1755); death of Bradd[ock] at Cork and; his concern for Lady Burlington's health.

There are copy letters to the Duke of Newcastle, in this series, in which Lord Hartington writes concerning: his suggestion that the Speaker be made Chancellor of the Exchequer to enable Hartington's return to England which Mr Malone later advised against; deciding to stay in Ireland; the Primate needing to stay out of Irish government whilst the people disliked him so much and appointing a deputy (CS1/260/143, CS1/260/159).

To his fiancée, Lady Charlotte Boyle, Lord Hartington writes concerning: his affection for his "dearest jewel" and his consideration of her happiness and welfare; her journey to Londesborough; "Mottle and Moustache" (CS1/260/73); the need to stay in the country with his father who is alone there; his wish to make Lady Charlotte happy; the birth of the Duchess of Leeds's son; death of Captain Anderson; a description of an opera.

To his mother-in-law, Lady Burlington, he writes concerning: a bill against Lord Middlesex; Lady Burlington's horse's health; lottery tickets (CS1/260/76); the death of the Prince of Wales and the reaction of the court (CS1/260/104); Mr and Mrs Garrick; the children at Chiswick; Lady Charlotte's health; dining with the Spanish ambassador; John Selwyn's carbuncle; the imprisonment of Messers Jaffe and Montague in Paris; Mr Garrick playing King Lear (CS1/260/110); playing shuttlecock; a full description of the beginning of Lady Hartington's smallpox infection and the effect of being pregnant on its severity (from CS1/260/123); the presence of a male midwife in case of miscarriage and the nurse who attended other family members through smallpox; Lady Burlington staying away due to not having had smallpox; regular updates of Lady Hartington's condition; the turning of the smallpox and their anticipation that Lady Hartington will overcome it; the loss of Lady Hartington his empathy for Lady Burlington and his commitment to look after her as best he can (CS1/260/129); the health and wellbeing of his children (CS1/260/130); his visit to Lismore; Mr Connor and the leases at Lismore, lapsed livings and valuing the estate; the need for him to stay in Ireland for the sake of the smooth running of Irish politics (CS1/260/141); Sir Anthony Abdy's scheme to send Mr Ellis over to survey the Irish estates (CS1/260/152); Mrs Elkin's death; Mr Ferrett taking care of Mrs Elkin's affairs (CS1/260/156); his disagreement with the Speaker of the Irish sessions; Mr Ellis examining the evidence room at Lismore (CS1/260/160); his pleasure at receiving a drawing from Cann [his son Lord Cavendish]; Dean Gervase's request; Lord Duncannon's presence requested in Ireland by Lord Hartington (CS1/260/167); deciding not to inoculate Dicky [against smallpox] whilst he is so young and has been ill (CS1/260/167); Mr Conner's assertion that tenants have been struggling to make rents due to the breaking of the banks and scarcity of money (CS1/260/172); his love to "the little ones"; peace in Ireland; a speaker for the Boyle Lectures; a scheme to make the Black Water navigable (destroying the salmon fishery in the process) (from CS1/260/176); Mr Ellis' opinion about the value of the Black Water fishery; the money bill; a disagreement between Lady Burlington and someone unnamed (CS1/260/182); the ill-health of his father and his sister's intention to set out for England (from CS1/260/188).

There are two draft letters to his mother, Katherine, Duchess of Devonshire, in which Lord Hartington attempts to explain his choice of wife as a decision with the family in mind, despite his mother's response and refusal to accept the Burlingtons (CS1/260/77A, CS1/260.77B).

There are two letters to Mr Pelham concerning: a living for Dr Newcome and Mr Cleveland and Colonel Coningham's intention to stand [for election] at Sandwich (CS1/260/102, CS1/260/103).

There is one letter to Mr Walpole, in which Lord Hartington writes concerning his attendance at the [Privy] Council about: the Spanish affair in the West Indies involving Ensenada at Mosquito Shore; the French on the Ohio River and sending support to troops in the colonies. He also writes concerning his minor knowledge of home affairs and of the Irish administration (CS1/260/122).

There is a letter to Mr Ponsonby in which Lord Hartington writes of his intentions in his new role as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and his respect for Ponsonby's family (CS1/260/130).

There is a draft letter to Lord Charles in which Lord Hartington writes of his resolution not to recommend to the King to grant any "preferments" for lives or for long terms, in his role as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland but that he will recommend Lord Charles be made a viscount (CS1/260/183).

This series also includes:

- a list of justices for Mr Gisborne, 10 November 1743 [CS1/260.21A];

-a draft letter to Lord Burlington concerning Lord Hartington's proposed marriage to Lady Charlotte Boyle [Cs1/260.58A]

- a holograph copy of William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington's will, April 1750- Sep 1753;

- a royal warrant appointing Lord Hartington Master of the Horse, July 1751;

- a note of fees to be paid for the swearing-in of the Marquess of Hartington as a member of the Privy Council, July 1751;

- an account of expenses for passing Lord Hartington's patent for the Office of Master of the Horse to the King, July 1751;

- a certificate of the Marquess of Hartington's swearing-in at the Privy Council, July 1751;

- a copy of the oath of a Privy Councillor taken by the Marquess of Hartington, July 1751;

- a copy of the Royal Warrant appointing William, Marquess of Hartington High Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland, January 1754;

- a royal warrant granting to William, Marquess of Hartington licence of absence from the Kingdom, 22 April 1755;

- bills and accounts of expenses paid by William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, 1747-1755.

Born in 1720, William Cavendish was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, and his wife Catherine (née Hoskyns). From 1729, when his father succeeded to the dukedom, he held the title Marquess of Hartington. He was probably educated at home before undertaking the grand tour to France and Italy in 1739-40, accompanied by his tutor, the Reverend Arthur Smyth.

The Cavendish family was at the heart of the Whig party that dominated politics, and a career in politics was the inevitable destiny for Cavendish, as heir to one of the premier dukedoms in the country. As soon as he came of age he was elected to the House of Commons in May 1741 as MP for Derbyshire, the family seat, and adopted his father's allegiance to the prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole. After Walpole's resignation in 1742, he sided with Walpole's political heirs, the Pelham faction, led by Henry Pelham and his brother the Duke of Newcastle, and strongly supported their attempts to fashion a viable administration over the next four years.

On 27 March 1748 Cavendish married Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Boyle, Baroness Clifford of Londesborough (1731-1754), the third but only surviving daughter of Richard Boyle, third Earl of Burlington (1694-1753), and his wife, Dorothy Savile (1699-1758). The match had been planned during the couple's childhood, although Cavendish's mother disapproved. Despite her fears, the marriage proved to be happy, albeit short; Charlotte died of smallpox six years later, on 8 December 1754.

They had four children: William Cavendish, later fifth Duke of Devonshire (1748-1811); Dorothy (1750-1794), who married William Bentinck, third duke of Portland; Richard (1752–1781), MP for Lancaster and then Derbyshire; and George (1754–1834), MP for Knaresborough, then Derby, who became first Earl of Burlington of the second creation in 1831. It was a politically advantageous marriage, as Charlotte's inheritance on her father's death in 1754 included vast estates in Yorkshire and Ireland, as well as electoral interests over the two parliamentary seats at Knaresborough and the Irish parliamentary constituency of Lismore Town. Burlington's villa at Chiswick, and Burlington House in Piccadilly also passed into the Devonshire family. Burlington was an architect and a great connoisseur of the arts, and the inheritance also included his library (containing many important architectural books and drawings), as well as many paintings and the entire contents of his houses.

With his political standing enhanced by his marriage, Cavendish took his seat in the Lords in 1751, which enabled him to accept the mastership of the horse and a cabinet seat from Pelham; he had earlier declined the governorship of the new Prince of Wales, the future George III. He was appointed to these offices and sworn of the privy council on 12 July. Following Pelham's death in 1754 he adhered closely to Newcastle, who appointed him lord lieutenant of Ireland in March 1755. He outlined his policy of reconciling the rival factions in Ireland in a letter to Newcastle, dated 4 October 1755: 'My scheme is if possible to govern this country without a party and make those that receive favours from the Crown think themselves obliged to it and not to their party here'. His policy paved the way for the decisive viceroyalty of the fourth Viscount Townshend in the 1760s.

On 5 December 1755 Cavendish succeeded as fourth Duke of Devonshire. He returned to England in October 1756 at a time of conflict with France and political instability at home. Fox's resignation that month triggered the end of Newcastle's administration, which had been worn down by military failures. Pending a more permanent arrangement, whereby William Pitt could be reconciled with Newcastle, George II summoned Devonshire to form an interim ministry to avert government collapse and to manage the war with France. On 6 November, Devonshire was appointed First Lord of the Treasury (or Prime Minister) and Pitt succeeded Fox, who had been unable to form a viable ministry, as Secretary of State for the South.

However, the Devonshire/Pitt ministry proved short-lived, and it was fatally damaged in April 1757 when Pitt resigned, along with his cousin Temple. After two months of protracted negotiations the Newcastle/Pitt coalition succeeded to office on 29 June, a coalition that led Britain to victory over France.

Devonshire became Lord Chamberlain in the coalition but retained a seat in the inner cabinet, where his integrity, family standing, and friendship with leading Whigs allowed him to calm the rancour of party politics and personality differences. This was especially important after the accession of George III in October 1760 and the advent of his mentor, Lord Bute, whose rapid advancement threatened to undermine Whig hegemony and destabilize governmental politics. Throughout 1761 and 1762, during the peace negotiations with France, Devonshire was a key factor in maintaining the ministerial harmony necessary for achieving peace. During the momentous months from September 1759 to October 1762 he kept a diary which offers keen insights into the decision-making process and general diplomatic affairs of the time.

When Newcastle resigned in May 1762 Devonshire did not follow him out of office but showed his solidarity by refusing to attend cabinet. This anomalous situation, whereby he retained his office yet absented himself from the business of government, could not be tolerated for long, and following a disagreement with Bute over the final peace treaty, he resigned as Lord Chamberlain on 28 November 1762. George III expressed his extreme displeasure at his conduct a few days later when, with his own pen, he struck Devonshire's name from the list of privy councillors, a rare gesture that ended Devonshire's political career. In October 1764, the King dismissed him as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, an office that had been held continuously by the Cavendishes since George I's accession.

Outside of his political life, the Fourth Duke continued to build on changes made by his father to the gardens and park at Chatsworth: he appointed the architect James Paine to design a new stable-block to the north of the house, and an elegant three-arch bridge across the widened River Derwent which was angled to provide a striking view of the house from the entrance drive. Paine also designed a one-arch bridge and a water mill located in the south of the park, and made a number of changes to the house itself, creating the present North entrance in place of the former kitchen, and providing a new service range to the north (demolished by the Sixth Duke when the present North Wing was built in the 19th century). But the Fourth Duke's most important change was to call in the famous landscape gardener Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, to sweep away the First Duke's formal gardens around the house and to surround it with a carefully planned and planted romantic landscape.

The Duke's final months were spent at Spa, Germany, in a state of deteriorating health. He died there on 2 October 1764, aged forty-four, and was buried next to his wife in All Saints', Derby.

[Principal source: Karl Wolfgang Schweizer, 'Cavendish, William, fourth duke of Devonshire (bap. 1790-d. 1764)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004). By permission of Oxford University Press.]

Reverend Richard Newcome was vicar of Hurley, Hampshire. He was tutor to Lord Hartington and Lord Brackley and afterward bishop of Llandaff and St Araph and rector of Whitchurch, Shropshire. He died at Bath in 1769 without children but several nieces and nephews.

[Source: written text endorsing CS1/260.5].

Letters in response to these from Lady Burlington are in CS1/164 and from the 3rd Duke are in CS1/163.

The referencing in this series relates to when all the correspondence of William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington and later 4th Duke of Devonshire was kept together. It may appear that certain items are missing when in fact they have been recatalogued into CS4: Correspondence of the 4th Duke of Devonshire. Papers relating to the period in which William Cavendish was 4th Duke can be found in this separate collection (GB 2495 CS4).

While this series comprises the majority of the 4th Duke's correspondence before he succeeded to the Dukedom, it should be viewed in conjunction with other collections held in the Devonshire Archives: the 4th Duke's Correspondence Series (GB 2495 CS4); a bound volume amongst the papers of William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (see GB 2495 DF1/1/1); and the Papers of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (GB 2495 DF2).