The Earl of Scarbrough | |
|---|---|
 Portrait bySir Godfrey Kneller | |
| Born | 30 November 1686 |
| Died | 29 January 1740(1740-01-29) (aged 53) |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1712–1740 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-general |
| Battles / wars | |
| Alma mater | Eton College King's College, Cambridge |
| Member of Parliament forEast Grinstead | |
| In office 1708–1710 Serving with Henry Campion | |
| Member of Parliament forArundel | |
| In office 1710–1715 Serving with Henry O'Brien, 8th Earl of Thomond | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Whig |
Lieutenant-GeneralRichard Lumley, 2nd Earl of ScarbroughKG PC (30 November 1686 – 29 January 1740), styledViscount Lumley from 1710 to 1721, was aBritish Army officer andWhig politician who sat in theHouse of Commons from 1708 until 1715 when he was raised to the House of Lords asBaron Lumley. He subsequently inherited his father's title asEarl of Scarbrough. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot at the age of 53.
Lumley was the second son ofRichard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough. He was educated atEton College in about 1702 and was admitted atKing's College, Cambridge in 1703.[1]
At the1708 British general election, Lumley was returned as WhigMP forEast Grinstead.[2] He supported the naturalization of the Palatines in 1709.[3] He wished to serve in the army, and though not given a commission, he joined the Duke of Marlborough for the campaign in the spring and summer of 1709. In 1710, he voted for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell. He succeeded his recently deceased, elder brother as MP forArundel at the1710 British general election.[3] He also became vice-admiral of County Durham in 1710. He voted for the ‘No Peace Without Spain’ motion on 7 December 1711. By January 1712 he held an army commission as lieutenant-colonel of horse and became lieutenant-colonel of the1st Dragoon Guards in 1713. He told against a Court amendment to the Address on 10 April 1713, and voted on against the French commerce bill on 18 June 1713. At the1713 British general election he was returned again for Arundel. He was concerned about the movements of the Pretender and campaigned for his removal from Lorraine. He spoke and voted against the expulsion of Richard Steele from the House.[3] In 1714 he was appointed Lord of the bedchamber to the Prince of Wales in September 1714 and becameMaster of the Horse to the Prince of Wales in November 1714.[3]
In 1715, Lumley wascalled to the House of Lords in his father'sbarony of Lumley.[2] He became colonel and captain of the1st Foot Guards in 1715 and fought against theJacobites at theBattle of Preston that year. He remained a Whig supporter in the House of Lords, but in 1717 he was forced to sell his regiment for his adherence to the Prince of Wales. On 2 May 1721 he stood as proxy for Ernest, Duke of York at the baptism of William Augustus. After inheriting his father's titles in December 1721, as Lord Scarbrough, he becameLord Lieutenant of Northumberland and Colonel of theColdstream Guards in 1722 and was made aKnight of the Garter on 9 July 1724. On the accession of King George II in 1727, he became Master of the Horse to the King and was admitted to thePrivy Council on 15 June 1727.[2] He gave up his court post in 1734 and was promoted to major-general in 1735 and lieutenant-general in 1739. In 1739, he was one of the founding governors for theFoundling Hospital inLondon.
Lord Scarbrough died by shooting himself on 29 January 1740, aged 53. At the time of hissuicide, it was rumoured to have been brought on by a mental disorder he developed from a knock on the head when he had an accident in his carriage a few days before.[3] There was also a rumour that he had killed himself because of a betrayal of trust. The rumour ran that he had confided a secret of State to the dowager Duchess of Manchester whom he had been about to marry, and that she had then told this secret to others. When word got back to the king of the source of the leak of the secret, Scarbrough killed himself.[4]
Lord Scarbrough was buried on 4 February 1740 in theGrosvenor Chapel inSouth Audley Street, Mayfair. Scarbrough's titles passed to his brother,Thomas.
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forEast Grinstead 1708–1710 With:Henry Campion | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forArundel 1710–1715 With:The Earl of Thomond | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by | Captain and Colonel of the 1st Troop Horse Grenadier Guards 1715–1717 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonel of theColdstream Guards 1722–1740 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| In Commission | Master of the Horse 1727–1734 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | Vice-Admiral of Durham 1710–1740 | Vacant Title next held by The Earl of Darlington |
| Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland 1722–1740 | Succeeded by | |
| Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland 1722–1740 | ||
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by | Earl of Scarbrough 1721–1740 | Succeeded by |
| Baron Lumley (writ in acceleration) 1715–1740 | ||
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