Charles Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Earl of Gainsborough
Constituency Mp:Rutland
Parliament:United Kingdom
Alongside:Gilbert Heathcote
Term Start:1840
Term End:1841
Birth Date:1818 9, df=y
Residence:Flitteriss Park
Alma Mater:Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation:Aristocrat, politician
Party:Whig
Spouse:Ida Harriet Augusta
Children:2 sons, 3 daughters
Father:Charles Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough
Mother:Elizabeth Grey

Charles George Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough (5 September 1818 – 13 August 1881), styled Viscount Campden between 1841 and 1866, was a British peer and Whig politician.

Background

Gainsborough was the only child of Charles Noel, 1st Earl of Gainsborough, by his second wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet. His mother died two weeks after he was born. He was the half-brother of Gerard Noel. He was educated privately and at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Career

Gainsborough succeeded his uncle William Noel as Member of Parliament for Rutland in 1840, but only held the seat until the following year. He then served a year as High Sheriff of Rutland for 1848. In 1866 he succeeded his father in the earldom and entered the House of Lords. The following year he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, which he remained until his death. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Prince Albert's Own Leicestershire Yeomanry from 1879–81, recorded as captain on 12 August 1850.

He and his wife embraced Roman Catholicism on New Year's Day in 1850.[1]

Family

Lord Gainsborough married Ida Harriet Augusta, daughter of William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll and Elizabeth FitzClarence, illegitimate daughter of King William IV, in 1841. The family home was at Flitteriss Park.

They had five children:

Lady Gainsborough died in October 1867. Lord Gainsborough remained a widower until his death in August 1881, aged 62. He was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, Charles.

His grandsons included Edward Noel and John Baptist Lucius Noel.

Notes and References

  1. Bence-Jones, Mark, The Catholic Families, Constable: London (1992)
  2. Web site: Lady Blanche Murphy . Janice . Brown . bartletthistory.org . July 21, 2006 . July 3, 2020.