Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Godolphin
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Portrait by Godfrey Kneller
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| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 16 May 1735 – 7 April 1740 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by | The Viscount Lonsdale |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Hervey |
| Cofferer of the Household | |
| In office 1714–1723 |
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| Monarch | George I |
| Preceded by | The Lord Masham |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Bath |
| In office 1704–1711 |
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| Monarch | Anne |
| Preceded by | Sir Benjamin Bathurst |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Masham |
| Teller of the Exchequer | |
| In office 1699–1704 |
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| Monarch | William III, Anne |
| Preceded by | Henry Carew |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Coke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 September 1678 Whitehall, London, England |
| Died | 17 January 1766 (aged 87) |
| Spouse | |
| Children |
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| Parents | |
| Alma mater | Eton College King's College, Cambridge (M.A., 1705) |
Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin (born 3 September 1678 – died 17 January 1766) was an important English politician and courtier. A courtier is someone who attends a royal court. He was known as Viscount Rialton from 1706 until 1712. During his life, he served in both the English and British Parliaments.
Francis Godolphin started his political career as a Tory. However, he later changed his views and became a Whig. These were the two main political groups in Britain at the time. He was also known for his kindness and generosity. He helped start the Foundling Hospital in 1739, which was a charity for abandoned children.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Godolphin was the only child of Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin. He was born in Whitehall, London, on 3 September 1678. Sadly, his mother, Margaret Godolphin, passed away just six days after he was born.
A close family friend, John Evelyn, helped look after Francis's education. Francis went to Eton College, a famous school. Later, he studied at King's College, Cambridge, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in 1705.
Political Career
Francis Godolphin began his political journey in 1695. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Helston. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of voters in the Parliament.
His first public job was as a joint registrar for the court of chancery in 1698. He also worked as a teller of the Exchequer from 1699 to 1704. This meant he helped manage government money.
Serving in Parliament
In 1701, he was elected as an MP again for East Looe and Helston. He chose to represent Helston. At first, he was part of the Tory political group.
However, his father became the head of the government in 1702. This led Francis to change his political loyalty. He started to support the government's policies more.
Important Roles
In 1704, he became the Cofferer of the Household. This was an important role in the royal household, managing its finances. He held this job until 1711.
He also became the Lord Warden of the Stannaries in 1705. This role involved overseeing tin mining in Cornwall. He was also the high steward of the Duchy of Cornwall.
Moving to the House of Lords
From 1706 to 1712, Francis Godolphin was known as Viscount Rialton. In 1708, he gave up some of his earlier jobs because they were too much work.
He continued to serve as an MP, representing Oxfordshire from 1708. In 1710, he supported the impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverell. This was a major political event at the time.
When his father passed away in 1712, Francis inherited the title of Earl of Godolphin. This meant he left the House of Commons and joined the House of Lords. The House of Lords is the upper house of the UK Parliament.
Later Government Positions
After joining the House of Lords, Lord Godolphin held many other important positions:
- He was again Cofferer of the Household from 1714 to 1723.
- He served as Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire from 1715 to 1735. This role involved representing the monarch in the county.
- He was a lord of the bedchamber to King George I in 1716.
- He became a Privy Councillor in 1723. This meant he advised the monarch.
- For King George II, he was groom of the stole and first lord of the bedchamber from 1727 to 1735.
- He was appointed Governor of the Scilly Islands in 1733.
- From 1735 to 1740, he held the very important role of Lord Privy Seal. This person was in charge of the King's personal seal.
Helping Helston
Lord Godolphin had a lot of influence over the town of Helston. He helped choose who would represent Helston in Parliament. In return, he paid for the rebuilding of Helston Church in 1763. He also paid the taxes for all the voters in the town.
Family and Interests
In March 1698, Francis Godolphin married Lady Henrietta Churchill. She was the eldest daughter of the famous military leader, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. When her father died in 1722, she became the Duchess of Marlborough in her own right. She passed away in 1733.
Francis Godolphin was a kind and generous person. He was one of the first governors of the Foundling Hospital in London. This charity was set up in 1739 to help abandoned babies and children.
He also had a famous horse called the Godolphin Arabian. This horse was one of the founding fathers of the modern thoroughbred horse breed. He also helped his friend, Dr. Messenger Monsey, become a physician at the Royal Chelsea Hospital.
Death and Legacy
Lord Godolphin passed away at his home in London on 17 January 1766. He was buried in Kensington Church.
He and his wife had two sons and four daughters. Sadly, two of their sons and one daughter died before him. His children included:
- William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford (around 1699–1731)
- Lady Henrietta Godolphin (around 1707–1776), who married the 1st Duke of Newcastle.
- Lady Mary Godolphin (1723–1764), who married the 4th Duke of Leeds.
Since he did not have any living male heirs, the titles of Earl of Godolphin and Viscount Rialton ended when he died. However, the title of Baron Godolphin of Helston passed to his cousin, Francis Godolphin, 2nd Baron Godolphin.
