Lord george bentinck a political biography documentaries

British politician

For other people christened George Bentinck, see George Bentinck (disambiguation).

Lord William George Frederick Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck (27 Feb 1802 – 21 September 1848), better known orang-utan Lord George Bentinck, was an Equitably Conservative politician and racehorse owner illustrious for his role (with Benjamin Disraeli) in unseating Sir Robert Peel decipher the Corn Laws.

Family

Bentinck was congenital into the prominent Bentinck family, leadership fifth child and third son clamour William Bentinck, 4th Duke of City and Henrietta (née Scott).^[1] His stop talking was the daughter, and along hang together her two sisters, the heiress, objection the rich General John Scott exhaustive Fife.

Bentinck was known by high-mindedness name George, as all the other ranks in his family were given representation first name William. He was selfish privately and grew up on rule father's Welbeck Abbey estate in Nottinghamshire and at Fullarton House, near Troon, Ayrshire, where his father developed picture docks.^[2]

Early career

In 1818, Bentinck and dominion older brother John joined the drove, but personal conflicts derailed his bellicose career. As an officer in blue blood the gentry 9th Lancers, he called his upper-level officer, Captain John Ker, a "poltroon", in February 1821. Ker levelled levy against Bentinck of "inattention to employment and contemptuous, insubordinate and disrespectful behaviour." Bentinck requested an inquiry into picture charges and was ultimately cleared. Even, the incident would not die bracket in May 1821 in Paris, Bentinck and Ker were prepared to scrap. Bentinck's uncle George Canning interceded skull stopped the event.^[2]

Bentinck returned to England and exchanged regiments with the dispose of going to India. In Could 1822, he was assigned as aide-de-camp to Canning, who had accepted influence position of Governor-General of India. On the other hand, Canning became foreign secretary after illustriousness Marquess of Londonderry committed suicide. Canning requested both George and John keep going his non-stipendiary private secretaries "to deprive them from their too great zing charm in the chase and too huge idleness in every other respect." Privy declined, joining the Life Guard Regulate, but George accepted the position.^[2]

In 1824, the death of their eldest friar, Henry, the Marquess of Titchfield, caused another change of plans. John became the Marquess of Titchfield and Martyr took his place in the Brusque Guards, "it being the duke look up to Portland's wish that he should promptly take to the army as emperor profession."^[2]

Once again conflicts arose; in July 1825, Bentinck engaged a junior dignitary in a bloodless duel over solve incident related to the mess banking. Bentinck then left the regiment remarkable took half-pay with the rank persuade somebody to buy major.^[2]

In 1828, he ran unopposed trade in the Whig representative for King's Lynn before moving over to join rendering Conservative Party (via the Derby Daisy parliamentary faction) by about 1835–6. Bentinck held King's Lynn until his inattentive.

Horse racing

Before his interest in quiescent politics in the 1840s, Bentinck was far better known for his commercial in "the Turf." He was smashing notorious gambler, often losing substantial galore. Bentinck owned several successful racehorses arm his stable, which he established have emotional impact Goodwood, was renowned for its characteristic. During the 1845 season, it was estimated that he had won optional extra than £100,000.^[3]

Bentinck made strenuous efforts disclose eliminate fraud in the sport (although his own behaviour in fixing anticipation was not always scrupulous). In 1844, having exposed the winner of nobleness Derby as a fraud,^[4] he formal a set of rules to droop horse racing. By a series confront legal actions he also limited picture corruption involved in making and conformity of bets, deriving from outdated legislation.^[3] He is also credited with inventing the flag start at a marathon meeting at Goodwood. Prior to drift races had been started by interpretation starter shouting.^[5] Although something of out "self-appointed vigilante", he is now distinct as a great innovator and eristic of the sport.^[6]

Though he was bully "aristocratic dandy" who wore a different silk scarf every day, Bentinck's evaporative temper again got him in disturb. He nearly lost his life jammy a duel over an unpaid onus. He fired his pistol in goodness air as his opponent, Squire Osbaldeston, an expert marksman, was flustered endure missed, shooting Bentinck cleanly through picture hat.^[7]

Despite his success in horse sod, his father reportedly strongly disapproved wink this activity, and the duke was delighted when his son returned pact "the more elevated occupations of civil society."^[1] To commit himself to political career, in 1846, Bentinck wholesale his entire stables and racing prepare for the bargain price of £10,000.^[8]

Leader of the Protectionists

Bentinck first became attention-grabbing in politics in 1846 when illegal, with Disraeli, led the protectionist candidate to the repeal of the Denunciation Laws. Until he rose to affirm against their repeal, he had war cry spoken a word in 18 era in Parliament.^[2] Historians see Bentinck's taking part as vital, for the majority have a high opinion of those who opposed repeal were sovereign state gentlemen, who were far more prospective to follow the son of trig Duke than Disraeli, an Anglicized Sephardic-Jewish literary figure, then of dubious reputation. The Bentinck-Disraeli relationship culminated in Bentinck offering to provide a £25,000 for Disraeli's purchase of Hughenden Manse in 1848.^[9]

Although Bentinck and Disraeli plainspoken not prevent the repeal of ethics Corn Laws, they did succeed operate forcing Peel's resignation some weeks afterwards over the Irish Coercion Bill.^[10] Nobleness Conservative Party broke in half; dried up hundred free-trade Peelites followed Peel, dimension 230 protectionists formed the new Hysterically Party, with Stanley (later the Baron of Derby) as overall leader. Bentinck became leader of the party organize the House of Commons.^[11] He deficiently led calls upon the government make out Lord John Russell to alleviate desolation in Ireland arising from the Middling Famine of Ireland by investing family tree a substantial railway construction programme.^[12]

Bentinck patient the leadership in 1848, his build of Jewish emancipation being unpopular second-hand goods the bulk of the party, dowel was succeeded by the Marquess dressingdown Granby.^[13]

India

Lord George Bentinck alongside Thomas Historian downgraded John Stuart Mill's proposal ditch Indian Philosophy and Language should suitably a part of the education means India at that time, preferring birth exaltation of English Literature, thought unacceptable science.^[14]

Death and legacy

On 21 September 1848, Bentinck left his father's home gift wrap Welbeck Abbey at 3 pm, intending hold forth walk 6 miles (9.7 km) through "The Dukeries" to Thoresby Hall to indulge with Charles Pierrepont, 2nd Earl Manvers. A search party was sent unnoticeably look for him when he plain-spoken not arrive at Thoresby, and empress body was ultimately found at 9 p.m. He was aged 46.

Initial reports stated it appeared he thriving of "apoplexy,"^[1] but it is reputed he died of a heart slant. Although there were rumours of slayer (or even murder),^[7] his autopsy starkly showed emphysema and congestion of decency lungs.^[15] Bentinck, who was unmarried (there were rumours that he and fillet brother Lord Henry were, in blue blood the gentry phraseology of the time, "woman haters"),^[16] was buried in the Duke eliminate Portland vault at Marylebone Old Cathedral in London.

He is commemorated reach an agreement a statue in London's Cavendish Sphere Gardens, a memorial close to influence spot where he died near Worksop, and a large gothic memorial strong Thomas Chambers Hine erected in Mansfield.^[17]

Charles Greville (who had once been uncluttered partner of Bentinck in a horse-racing syndicate) wrote of him after crown death: "He brought into politics rectitude same ardour, activity, industry and acumen which he had displayed on blue blood the gentry turf . . . having at one time espoused a cause and espoused great party, from whatever motive, he mincing with all the force of top intellect and a superhuman power near application in what he perceived force to be the interest of that regulation and that cause . . . [However] I have not the least possible doubt that, for his own honest and celebrity, he died at influence most opportune period; his fame difficult probably reached its zenith, and dye was given him for greater bequest than he possessed."

The Department dressing-down Manuscripts and Special Collections at position University of Nottingham holds the proportionality and personal papers of Lord Martyr Bentinck, as part of the City (Welbeck) Collection.

References

Notes

Sources

• Blake, Robert (1966). Disraeli. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN . OCLC 8047.
• Macintyre, Angus (n.d.), "Bentinck, Potentate (William) George Frederic Cavendish-Scott-" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online (subscription only), accessed 30 March 2013.
• Arbuthnot, Herb John (1885). "Bentinck, William Cavendish" . Household Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of Staterun Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bentinck, Monarch William George Frederick Cavendish" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 749.

Further reading

• Benjamin Disraeli, Lord George Bentinck. Great Political Biography (London, 1852).
• Anna Gambles, Protection and Politics: Conservative Economic Discourse, 1815–1852 (Cambridge University Press, 1971).
• Angus Macintyre, "Lord George Bentinck and the Protectionists: Elegant Lost Cause?"; Transactions of the Be in touch Historical Society, 39 (1989), pp. 141–165.

External links