William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley

Houghton Hall, ancestral home of the Marquess of Cholmondeley since the establishment of the title in 1815, has now opened some of its rooms and grounds to the public.

(William) Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley (/ˈtʃʌmli/; 31 March 1800 – 16 December 1884), styled Lord William Cholmondeley from 1815 until 1870, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.

Background

Cholmondeley was a direct descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was the younger son of George James Cholmondeley, who had been created the first Marquess of Cholmondeley in 1815. His mother was the former Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, second daughter and co-heir of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven.

Cholmondeley's elder brother, George, succeeded to his father's title in 1827 and became the 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley. However, when he died without issue in 1870, the title passed to his younger brother. Like his grandfather, and his elder brother, Cholmondeley was educated at Eton. In 1818, he matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford.

Career

In 1822, Cholmondeley was elected to the House of Commons for Castle Rising, a seat he held until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Reform Bill. He remained out of Parliament for the next twenty years. In 1852, Cholmondeley was again successful for South Hampshire, representing it for the next five years until 1857.

Cholmondeley was a member of the Canterbury Association from 27 March 1848.

In 1870, Cholmondeley succeeded to his elder brother's title as the third Marquess of Cholmondeley and entered the House of Lords.

Family

On 28 February 1825, Cholmondeley married Marcia Emma Georgiana Arbuthnot, daughter of Charles Arbuthnot, at Cholmondeley House, which was then in Piccadilly, London. The children of that marriage were:

• Lady Marcia Charlotte Emma (22 November 1826 – 7 April 1828).
• Lady Charlotte Georgiana (4 February 1828–17 August 1912).
• Charles George, Viscount Malpas (9 July 1829 – 7 December 1869).
• Lady Marcia Susan Harriet (18 April 1831–10 June 1927).
• Lord Henry Vere (4 October 1834 – 25 February 1882).
• Lady Emma Caroline (11 November 1837 – 26 January 1839).
• Lady Caroline Rachel (4 July 1840 – 11 March 1863).

Cholmondeley's wife died in 1878. Six years after her death, he died, aged 84, in December 1884. As both of his sons had died before him, Cholmondeley was succeeded in his titles by his grandson George, who was the eldest living son of the former Viscount Malpas.

Lands and estates

Houghton Hall, ancestral home of the Marquess of Cholmondeley since the establishment of the title in 1815, has now opened some of its rooms and grounds to the public.

The family seats are Houghton Hall, Norfolk, and Cholmondeley Castle, which is surrounded by a 7,500 acres (30 km²) estate near Malpas, Cheshire.

The Marquess was a teetotal Quaker and closed all the alehouses on the estate.

Position at court

One moiety part of the ancient office of Lord Great Chamberlain is a Cholmondeley inheritance. This hereditary honour came into the Cholmondeley family through the marriage of the first Marquess of Cholmondeley to Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. The second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holders of the marquessate have all held this office, but Lord William did not take on the responsibilities of this court function.

References

• Debrett, John, Charles Kidd, David Williamson. (1990). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-38847-1,,
• Lodge, Edmund. (1877). The Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire as at Present Existing. London: Hurst and Blackett, OCLC 17221260,

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Marquess of Cholmondeley
• Houghton Hall
• Cholmondeley Castle

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl of Rocksavage Fulk Greville Howard	Member of Parliament for Castle Rising 1822 – 1832 With: Fulk Greville Howard	Constituency abolished
Preceded by Lord Charles Wellesley Henry Combe Compton	Member of Parliament for South Hampshire 1852 – 1857 With: Henry Combe Compton	Succeeded by Sir Jervoise Clarke Clarke-Jervois Ralph Heneage Dutton
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by George Horatio Cholmondeley	Marquess of Cholmondeley 1870–1884	Succeeded by George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley