John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl Gower
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| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 1742–1743 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by | The Lord Hervey |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Cholmondeley |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 1744–1754 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Cholmondeley |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Marlborough |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 August 1694 London, England |
| Died | 25 December 1754 (aged 60) London, England |
| Spouses | Lady Evelyn Pierrepont (m. 1712) Penelope Stonhouse (m. 1733) Lady Mary Tufton (m. 1736) |
| Children | 14, including Granville, Gertrude, Richard and John |
| Parents | John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower Lady Catherine Manners |
John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower (born August 10, 1694 – died December 25, 1754) was an important English politician. He was a member of the Tory political group. He held a very important job called Lord Privy Seal twice. This job meant he was one of the King's chief advisors.
He also served in the Parliament of Great Britain, which is like today's government. He was a leader in the House of Lords, which is one of the two parts of Parliament. Later, he changed his political group and worked with the Whigs. He stayed in government until he passed away in 1754.
John Leveson-Gower was born in London into a well-known family. He went to Westminster School and then to the University of Oxford. When his father died in 1709, John became a "peer." This meant he inherited his father's title, Baron Gower, and got a seat in the House of Lords. He also gained control over several areas that could elect members to Parliament. These areas included Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford, Lichfield, and Cheadle.
In 1742, he became Lord Privy Seal for the first time. He left the job the next year but returned in 1744. This time, he was part of a government led by the Whigs. He became a strong supporter of Henry Pelham and his brother, the Duke of Newcastle. During the Jacobite rising of 1745, a time when some people tried to put a different king on the throne, John Leveson-Gower stayed loyal to King George II. Because of his loyalty, King George II gave him the new title of Earl Gower.
In 1747, there was a big election. Seven areas that John Leveson-Gower influenced were challenged by other politicians. Even though he spent a lot of his own money, he only managed to keep control of two areas: Stafford and Lichfield. He was asked to resign from his job in 1751 and 1754, but he refused. He died while still in office on December 25, 1754, in London.
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Early Life and Family
John Leveson-Gower was born in London, England, on August 10, 1694. He came from a rich and important family called the Leveson-Gower family. His father, also named John Leveson-Gower, was a politician. He was a member of the House of Commons before he became a Baron in 1703. This meant he got a special title and a seat in the House of Lords. John's mother was Lady Catherine Manners.
John went to Westminster School and then to Christ Church, Oxford in 1710. When he was young, he was interested in fox hunting and horse racing more than politics. He also had some sympathy for the Jacobites, who wanted to bring back the old royal family. But around 1720, he started focusing on politics. He worked hard to gain influence over parliamentary seats in the area of Staffordshire.
By the late 1720s, John Leveson-Gower had built a strong political base. He had influence over four areas that elected members of Parliament: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford, Lichfield, and Cheadle. He even served as the mayor of Cheadle in 1721. After his father died in 1709, John inherited his father's title and took his place in the House of Lords. He quickly became a leading figure among the Tory politicians.
Political Career
In 1740, John Leveson-Gower was appointed as a Lord Justice, which is a type of judge. In 1742, the Tory-led government collapsed. John was then given the important job of Lord Privy Seal. He was the only Tory politician to get such a high position after the government changed. He also joined the Privy Council of Great Britain on May 12, 1742. This was a group of advisors to the King. At this time, the government was mostly led by the Whigs, who were rivals of the Tories.
His decision to work with a rival political group was very important. He resigned from his position in December 1743. However, he was reappointed as Lord Privy Seal in 1744. This time, he was part of a "coalition government" called the Broad Bottom ministry. This government was led by Henry Pelham and his brother, the Duke of Newcastle. This government stayed in power for ten years.
When the Jacobite rising of 1745 began, John Leveson-Gower promised King George II of Great Britain that he would be loyal. He even helped raise one of the new British army groups to fight against the Jacobite invasion. Because of his loyalty, King George II gave him the new titles of Viscount Trentham and Earl Gower on July 8, 1746. However, the army group he helped raise was not very keen on fighting. They refused to go further than the nearest pub!
In 1748, he was again appointed as a Lord Justice. He received this appointment again in 1750 and 1752. His continued support for the Whig-led government made some of his fellow Tories and Jacobite supporters angry. They felt he had been "corrupted." John Leveson-Gower himself complained that he was being "persecuted" by his illness (gout) and by the Jacobites. In 1747, a group of Jacobite supporters protested at a horse race. This made John Leveson-Gower stay in his house for a while.
Despite the criticism, he refused to resign from his job as Lord Privy Seal. A famous writer named Dr. Samuel Johnson even included him in his dictionary under the word "renegado" (meaning someone who changes their loyalty). However, this was later removed. By the early 1750s, John Leveson-Gower was very loyal to the Pelham brothers. He joined a group of politicians known as the "Pelhamites."
Later Life and Death
During the 1747 British general election, John Leveson-Gower's political influence was strongly challenged. He had control over seven areas in Staffordshire and Westminster that elected members of Parliament. Even though he had become the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 1742, which gave him a big advantage in elections, all seven areas were challenged by rival Tory politicians.
Even though he was suffering from gout, John Leveson-Gower decided to defend his influence. He focused on the areas of Stafford and Lichfield. He complained that he was being opposed by "men that I have lived in the strictest friendship with the best part of my life."
When the election results came out, John Leveson-Gower found that he had lost five out of the seven areas he influenced. He only managed to keep Stafford and Lichfield. According to Henry Pelham, this was "almost entirely due to the Whigs." The cost of campaigning in this election was very high and used up a lot of John Leveson-Gower's money.
In June 1751, John Leveson-Gower refused to resign from his job. His third son, Granville, and the Duke of Bedford resigned to support another politician who had been fired. But John Leveson-Gower stayed in his position. When Henry Pelham died in March 1754, the government collapsed. Again, John Leveson-Gower refused to resign.
He died on December 25, 1754, at his home in London. After his death, his son Granville inherited his titles. Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough took over his job as Lord Privy Seal. His death was mentioned in a letter by the writer Mary Delany. She noted that women who were mourning him wore only grey or white clothes for a week.
Personal Life and Family
After his father died, John Leveson-Gower inherited the Trentham Estate. In 1730, he built a large country house called Trentham Hall on the property. It was designed to look like Buckingham House. Later, when his son Granville inherited the estate, he made many changes to the house.
John Leveson-Gower's political career was helped by his large personal fortune. He had invested in Britain's growing industries. He also owned parts of eight other estates. However, the high costs of election campaigns and family expenses took a toll on his money. By the time he died in 1754, he had significant debts.
John Leveson-Gower was married three times.
- On March 13, 1712, he married Lady Evelyn Pierrepont. They had eleven children, including Granville and Gertrude. Lady Evelyn died in 1727.
- He then married Penelope Stonhouse on October 31, 1733. She died soon after, in 1734.
- His third wife was Lady Mary Tufton, whom he married on May 16, 1736. She had two of his sons and outlived him, dying in 1785.
His son Granville followed in his father's footsteps in politics. He also served as Lord Privy Seal from 1755 to 1757. Granville later became the Marquess of Stafford in 1786 and was a leading Tory politician. John Leveson-Gower's sixth son, John, joined the Royal Navy. He fought in several naval battles during the American Revolutionary War. He later became a member of the House of Commons until his death in 1792.
Images for kids
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A portrait of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford by George Romney around 1790.
