Earl of Dartmouth is a title in the
Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for
William Legge, 2nd Baron Dartmouth.
History
The Legge family descended from Edward Legge,
Vice-President of Munster
The post of Lord President of Munster was the most important office in the English government of the Irish province of Munster from its introduction in the Elizabethan era for a century, to 1672, a period including the Desmond Rebellions in Munste ...
.
His eldest son
William Legge was a Royalist army officer and close associate of
Prince Rupert of the Rhine. On the
Restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
*Restoration ecology
* ...
,
Charles II offered to create him an
earl, but Legge declined.
Barons Dartmouth
His son
George Legge was a prominent naval commander, who in 1682 was raised to the
Peerage of England as Baron Dartmouth, of
Dartmouth in the County of Devon. George's son
William
William is a male
Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization.
A male organism cannot reproduce sex ...
, the second Baron, notably served as
Secretary of State for the Southern Department between 1710 and 1713 and in 1711 was created Viscount Lewisham, in the County of Kent, and Earl of Dartmouth, in the Peerage of Great Britain.
Earls of Dartmouth
William was succeeded by his grandson,
the second Earl. He was the only surviving son of George Legge, Viscount Lewisham (d. 1732), eldest son of the first Earl, who had died before his father. He was also an influential politician and served as
Secretary of State for the Colonies and
First Lord of Trade
The president of the Board of Trade is head of the Board of Trade. This is a committee of the His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th centu ...
between 1772 and 1775. The American
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools ...
school
Dartmouth College in
Hanover, New Hampshire, was named for the
second Earl by
Congregational
Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs it ...
minister
Eleazar Wheelock
Eleazar Wheelock (April 22, 1711 – April 24, 1779) was an American Congregational minister, orator, and educator in Lebanon, Connecticut, for 35 years before founding Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He had tutored Samson Occom, a Mohe ...
.
The second earl's eldest son,
the third Earl, was summoned to the
House of Lords through a
writ of acceleration as Baron Dartmouth in June 1801. Soon after, in July 1801, he succeeded his father in the earldom. Lord Dartmouth held office as
President of the Board of Control
The President of the Board of Control was a British government official in the late 18th and early 19th century responsible for overseeing the British East India Company and generally serving as the chief official in London responsible for Indian ...
between 1801 and 1802. On his death, the titles passed to his eldest son,
the fourth Earl, who had briefly represented
Milborne Port
Milborne Port is a village, electoral ward and civil parish in Somerset, England, east of Sherborne, and in the South Somerset district. It has a population of 2,802. The parish includes the hamlets of Milborne Wick and Kingsbury Regis.
The vil ...
in
Parliament before succeeding in the earldom.
The fourth earl's only surviving child from his first marriage,
the fifth Earl, was a
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization ...
politician and also served as
Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire. His eldest son,
the sixth Earl, was also a Conservative politician and served twice as
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.
The latter was succeeded by his eldest son,
the seventh Earl, who married Lady Ruperta, daughter of the
1st Marquess of Lincolnshire. Lady Ruperta inherited a share of the office of
Lord Great Chamberlain from her father, and after his father-in-law's death in 1928, Lord Dartmouth acted as Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain until the death of
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Quee ...
in 1936.
The seventh earl's only son, William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, was killed at
El Alamein in 1942, and Dartmouth was consequently succeeded by his younger brother,
Humphry, the eight Earl.
As of 2018, the titles are held by Humphry's grandson,
the tenth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1997. Lord Dartmouth was a
Member of the European Parliament for the
UK Independence Party between 2009 and 2019, but left the party in 2018, and is now independent.
Other family members
Several other members of the Legge family have also gained distinction.
The Hon. Henry Bilson-Legge
Henry Bilson-Legge (29 May 1708 – 23 August 1764) was an English statesman. He notably served three times as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1750s and 1760s.
Background and education
Bilson-Legge was the fourth son of William Legge, 1s ...
, fourth son of the first Earl, was a politician and served three times as
Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Sir Arthur Kaye Legge, sixth son of the second Earl, was an
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
. The Hon.
Edward Legge, seventh son of the second Earl, was
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. The current bishop is Steven Croft, following the confirmation of his election ...
. The Hon.
Heneage Legge, second son of the third Earl, sat as
Member of Parliament for
Banbury
Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census.
Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshire ...
.
Arthur Legge, fourth son of the third Earl, was a
general in the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...
and Member of Parliament for Banbury. The Hon.
Augustus Legge
Augustus Legge (28 November 183915 March 1913) was Bishop of Lichfield from 1891 until 1913.
Family and education
Legge was the third son of William Legge, 4th Earl of Dartmouth, by his second wife Frances, daughter of George Barrington, 5th ...
, fifth son of the fourth Earl, was
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and W ...
. The Hon.
Heneage Legge, sixth son of the fourth Earl, was Member of Parliament for
St George's Hanover Square.
Family seats
The family seat is Blakelea House, near
Marsden,
West Yorkshire, though there was also a family home at
Sandwell Hall
Sandwell Hall was a mansion house in the county of West Midlands (originally in Staffordshire), England, about east of West Bromwich. The site is within Sandwell Valley Country Park. It was built in 1711 for William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmou ...
(since demolished) in the
Sandwell Valley
Sandwell Valley is an area of green belt in the county of West Midlands, England, on the border of Birmingham and West Bromwich, with Walsall at its northern end.
It is a valley on the River Tame of which are owned by Sandwell Metropolita ...
in
West Bromwich, and
Patshull Hall
Patshull Hall is a substantial Georgian mansion house situated near Pattingham in Staffordshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building and by repute is one of the largest listed buildings in the county.
History
The Hall was built to designs b ...
, near
Pattingham
Pattingham is a village in the civil parish of Pattingham and Patshull, South Staffordshire, near the county boundary with Shropshire. Pattingham is seven miles west of Wolverhampton and seven and a half miles east of Bridgnorth.
Descriptio ...
,
Staffordshire. The district of
Dartmouth Park
Dartmouth Park is a district of north west London in the Borough of Camden, north of Charing Cross. The area adjoins Highgate and Highgate Cemetery (to the north) and Kentish Town (to the south). Parliament Hill is to the west.
The nearest Un ...
in north
London also belonged to the family.
Baron Dartmouth (1682)
*
George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth
George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth PC (c. 1647 – 1691) was an English Royal Navy officer, who was appointed Admiral of the Fleet by James II in September 1688. However, he failed to intercept the invasion force under William III that landed ...
(1647–1691)
*
William Legge, 2nd Baron Dartmouth (1672–1750) (created Earl of Dartmouth in 1711)
Earl of Dartmouth (1711)
*
William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth (14 October 1672 – 15 December 1750), was Lord Privy Seal from 1713 to 1714. He was a Hanoverian Tory, supporting the Hanoverian succession following the death of Queen Anne.
Life
The only son of George Le ...
(1672–1750)
*
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, PC, FRS (20 June 1731 – 15 July 1801), styled as Viscount Lewisham from 1732 to 1750, was a British statesman who is most remembered as the namesake of Dartmouth College.
Background
Dartmouth was the so ...
(1731–1801)
*
George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth
George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth KG, PC, FRS (3 October 1755 – 10 November 1810), styled Viscount Lewisham until 1801, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1778 to 1784.
Background
George Legge, known from birt ...
(1755–1810)
*
William Legge, 4th Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 4th Earl of Dartmouth FRS, SA (29 November 1784 – 22 November 1853), styled The Honourable William Legge until 1801 and Viscount Lewisham between 1801 and 1810, was a British peer.
Background
Dartmouth was the son of George L ...
(1784–1853)
**George Legge, Viscount Lewisham (1822–1823)
*
William Walter Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth
William Walter Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth (12 August 1823 – 4 August 1891), styled Viscount Lewisham until 1853, was a British peer and Conservative politician.
Political career
Legge was elected in 1849 as Member of Parliament (MP) for ...
(1823–1891)
*
William Heneage Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth (1851–1936)
*
William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth
Lieutenant-Colonel William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth (22 February 1881 – 28 February 1958), styled Viscount Lewisham between 1891 and 1936, was a British peer and Conservative politician, who was Acting Lord Great Chamberlain 1928–36.
B ...
(1881–1958)
**William Legge, Viscount Lewisham (1913–1942)
*
Humphry Legge, 8th Earl of Dartmouth
Humphry Legge, 8th Earl of Dartmouth, (14 March 1888 – 16 October 1962) was a British peer and police officer.
Legge was the youngest son of the William Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth. During the First World War, he served as a commander with ...
(1888–1962)
*
Gerald Humphry Legge, 9th Earl of Dartmouth (1924–1997)
*
William Legge, 10th Earl of Dartmouth (born 1949)
The
heir presumptive is the present holder's brother, the Hon. Rupert Legge (born 1951).
The heir presumptive's
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
is his son, Edward Legge (born 1986).
Male-line family tree
Line of succession
* ''
George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth
George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth PC (c. 1647 – 1691) was an English Royal Navy officer, who was appointed Admiral of the Fleet by James II in September 1688. However, he failed to intercept the invasion force under William III that landed ...
(1647–1691)''
** ''
William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth (14 October 1672 – 15 December 1750), was Lord Privy Seal from 1713 to 1714. He was a Hanoverian Tory, supporting the Hanoverian succession following the death of Queen Anne.
Life
The only son of George Le ...
(1672–1750)''
*** ''George Legge, Viscount Lewisham (c. 1703 – 1732)''
**** ''
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, PC, FRS (20 June 1731 – 15 July 1801), styled as Viscount Lewisham from 1732 to 1750, was a British statesman who is most remembered as the namesake of Dartmouth College.
Background
Dartmouth was the so ...
(1731–1801)''
***** ''
George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth
George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth KG, PC, FRS (3 October 1755 – 10 November 1810), styled Viscount Lewisham until 1801, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1778 to 1784.
Background
George Legge, known from birt ...
(1755–1810)''
****** ''
William Legge, 4th Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 4th Earl of Dartmouth FRS, SA (29 November 1784 – 22 November 1853), styled The Honourable William Legge until 1801 and Viscount Lewisham between 1801 and 1810, was a British peer.
Background
Dartmouth was the son of George L ...
(1784–1853)''
******* ''
William Walter Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth
William Walter Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth (12 August 1823 – 4 August 1891), styled Viscount Lewisham until 1853, was a British peer and Conservative politician.
Political career
Legge was elected in 1849 as Member of Parliament (MP) for ...
(1823–1891)''
******** ''
William Heneage Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth (1851–1936)''
********* ''
William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth
Lieutenant-Colonel William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth (22 February 1881 – 28 February 1958), styled Viscount Lewisham between 1891 and 1936, was a British peer and Conservative politician, who was Acting Lord Great Chamberlain 1928–36.
B ...
(1881–1958)''
********* ''
Humphry Legge, 8th Earl of Dartmouth
Humphry Legge, 8th Earl of Dartmouth, (14 March 1888 – 16 October 1962) was a British peer and police officer.
Legge was the youngest son of the William Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth. During the First World War, he served as a commander with ...
(1888–1962)''
********** ''
Gerald Humphry Legge, 9th Earl of Dartmouth (1924–1997)''
***********
William Legge, 10th Earl of Dartmouth (born 1949)
*********** (1) ''Hon.'' Rupert Legge (born 1951)
************ (2) Edward Peregrine Legge (born 1986)
*********** (3) ''Hon.'' Henry Legge (born 1968)
******** ''Hon.
Sir Henry Charles Legge (1852–1924)''
********* ''Lt. Nigel Walter Legge-Bourke (1889–1914)''
********** ''Maj.
Sir (Edward Alexander) Henry Legge-Bourke (1914–1973)''
*********** ''William Nigel Henry Legge-Bourke (1939–2009)
************ (4) Harry Russell Legge-Bourke (born 1972)
************* (5) Lachlan Legge-Bourke (born 2003)
*********** (6) Heneage Legge-Bourke (born 1948)
************ (7) Edward Alexander Heneage Legge-Bourke (born 1984)
References
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dartmouth
Earldoms in the Peerage of Great Britain
Legge family
*
Noble titles created in 1711