Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester facts for kids
Joseph Damer, who lived from 1718 to 1798, was an important person in England. He owned a lot of land and was a politician. He was known for changing a place called Milton Abbey and creating a new village, Milton Abbas, in Dorset, south-west England. He was given the title of Baron Milton and later became the first Earl of Dorchester.
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Early Life and Family
Joseph Damer was born on March 12, 1718. His family was very wealthy. His father was also named Joseph Damer and was a Member of Parliament. Joseph went to college at Trinity College, Dublin, in Ireland. In 1742, he married Lady Caroline Sackville. Her father was the Duke of Dorset, a very important noble.
Becoming a Politician
Joseph Damer started his political career when he was just 22 years old. In 1741, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Weymouth. An MP is a person elected to represent an area in the House of Commons, which is part of the British government. He was later elected to represent other areas too.
In 1753, Joseph Damer was given the title of Baron Milton. This meant he became a "peer," a member of the nobility. He received another Baron Milton title in 1762. These titles showed his importance in society.
Building and Changing the Landscape
Joseph Damer loved building and changing places. In 1751, he asked an architect named John Vardy to build him a large house in London.
His biggest project was at Milton Abbey in Dorset. He bought the Abbey and started a huge plan to change the area around it. He built a grand mansion for himself. Famous architects like William Chambers and James Wyatt helped design it.
He also hired a famous landscape gardener named Capability Brown. Brown was known for designing beautiful parks and gardens. He helped create the stunning scenery around Milton Abbey.
Creating Milton Abbas Village
Joseph Damer was a very wealthy landowner. He decided to move the small town of Middleton, which was near Milton Abbey. He wanted to make the area around his new mansion more beautiful.
By 1780, most of the people from Middleton had moved. They went to a brand new village called Milton Abbas. This village was specially designed and built for them. It was about half a mile away from the Abbey.
The old town of Middleton was completely removed. The land was then turned into a lovely landscape. Much of the old town disappeared under a new ornamental lake.
Later Life and Legacy
Joseph Damer's wife, Lady Caroline, passed away in 1775. He was very sad and asked a sculptor to create a beautiful tomb for her at Milton Abbey.
In 1792, Joseph Damer received even higher titles. He became the first Earl of Dorchester and Viscount Milton. This showed how important he was. People said he was a very proud man. He spent a lot of money buying land, which sometimes caused him financial stress.
Joseph Damer died in 1798. He had three sons. His eldest son, John, married a sculptor named Anne Seymour Conway. His second son, George, became the second Earl of Dorchester after his father. However, George never married, so when he died, the title ended.
The London house Joseph Damer built on Park Lane became famous as The Dorchester. Today, a very well-known hotel, the Dorchester Hotel, stands on that same spot.
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