George Edgcumbe (1800–1882) Explained

George Edgcumbe
Office1:Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle
Term1:June - December 1826
Birth Date:23 June 1800
Education:Balliol College, Oxford
Father:Richard Edgcumbe
Children:6
Relatives:George Edgcumbe (grandfather)
William Edgcumbe (brother)
Ernest Edgcumbe (brother)
Emma Cust (sister)

George Edgcumbe (23 June 1800 – 18 February 1882) was a British diplomat and politician.

Biography

He was the youngest son of Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. He was educated at Harrow School, and at Balliol College, Oxford. In 1834, he married Fanny Lucy, daughter of Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet; they had 6 children.

At the general election in June 1826 he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the rotten borough of Plympton Erle,on his father's interest. However, he resigned his seat in December that year, by taking the sinecure of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds.

He then became a diplomat, serving in Switzerland, Tuscany, and Hanover.