William Stanhope (1702–1772) facts for kids
Sir William Stanhope (1702–1772) was an English landowner and politician. He lived at a place called Eythrope in Buckinghamshire. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for 35 years, from 1727 to 1768. Sir William often traveled because he had hearing problems and wasn't always well. This meant he was sometimes away from Parliament.
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Early Life and Family
William Stanhope was the second son of Philip Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Chesterfield and Lady Elizabeth Savile. His mother was the daughter of the Marquess of Halifax. He had several brothers, including Philip Dormer, Lord Stanhope.
In 1721, William married Susanna Rudge. When they married, his father gave him estates in Buckinghamshire that were worth a lot of money. In 1725, he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath. This was a special honor.
Political Career
William Stanhope first tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1727 but didn't win. However, just a few days later, he was chosen to be an MP for Lostwithiel without anyone running against him. Later that year, he was also chosen as MP for Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury. He decided to represent Buckinghamshire.
From 1732 onwards, he often voted against the government. He was part of a group called the Whig Opposition. He was re-elected for Buckinghamshire in 1734. He also spent time at the court of Frederick, Prince of Wales. One time, he joked about how many of the Prince's mistress's relatives were there. This made his presence at court "not quite agreeable."
His first wife, Susanna, passed away in 1741. He did not run for Parliament in the 1741 election.
Improving Eythrope House
In 1745, William married his second wife, Elizabeth Crowley. Sadly, she died the next year. Around this time, he started to improve his home, Eythrope House. He hired an architect named Isaac Ware to build new stables and interesting structures called "follies" in the gardens. He decorated the grounds with fake ruins of an amphitheater, castles, and towers. Eythrope was his favorite place.
Later Years in Parliament
In 1747, Stanhope was re-elected as an MP for Buckinghamshire. He was still part of the Whig Opposition. In 1748, he argued against a bill that wanted to move the summer court sessions from Aylesbury to Buckingham. It seems he became friends with the Prince of Wales again. He was even considered for a high position if the Prince became king.
He was re-elected without opposition for Buckinghamshire in 1754. Despite his health issues and growing deafness, he loved to travel. He spent several years in Italy. He returned to England in 1758 and decided to marry again, hoping to have a son.
In 1759, he married Anne Hussey Delaval. His brother, Chesterfield, wrote that she was a quiet woman who preferred reading, drawing, and music at home. Stanhope was re-elected again in 1761. Soon after, he left England for Italy, but his marriage did not last the journey. It was said that when they returned to England, he told her he hoped never to see her face again, and she replied the same. They separated.
By this time, Stanhope was almost completely deaf and was often absent from Parliament. He voted against the government on important issues in 1763 and 1764. He then traveled abroad again and was in Naples in 1765. He did not appear in Parliament's voting records after 1766 and did not run for election in 1768.
Death and Legacy
In his final years, Sir William Stanhope spent a lot of time in the south of France. He passed away in Dijon on May 7, 1772. His only child was a daughter named Elizabeth, from his first marriage. She married Welbore Ellis.
Eythrope House was torn down between 1810 and 1811. However, two of the buildings Sir William had built still exist today: a grotto by the lake and a bridge over the River Thame.
