George Cavendish, 1st Earl Of Burlington

George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington (31 March 1754 – 9 May 1834), was a British nobleman and politician. He was styled Lord George Cavendish before 1831. His notable achievements include the construction of Burlington Arcade.

**Background**

Cavendish was born in 1754 as the third son of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, and Lady Charlotte Boyle. Lady Charlotte was the daughter of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, of the first creation, a title that became extinct upon his death in 1753.

**Political Career**

He served as a Member of Parliament for Knaresborough from 1775 to 1780. Subsequently, he represented Derby from 1780 to 1797, and Derbyshire from 1797 to 1831. On 10 September 1831, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Cavendish of Keighley in the County of York and as Earl of Burlington, reviving the title held previously by his maternal grandfather.

**Horsemanship**

Cavendish had interests in horseracing. His racing silks were described as straw-colored with a black cap.

**Family and Property**

In 1815, Lord Burlington purchased Burlington House in Piccadilly from his nephew, the 6th Duke of Devonshire. He commissioned alterations to the house, notably the construction of Burlington Arcade along the west side, working with architect Samuel Ware.

He married Lady Elizabeth Compton on 27 February 1782 in London. She was the only child of Charles Compton, 7th Earl of Northampton. Together, they had at least eleven children, with six surviving to adulthood. His two eldest sons predeceased him:

- William Cavendish (10 January 1783 – 17 January 1812), who died in a carriage accident.

- George Cavendish (14 October 1784 – 22 January 1809).

Other children included Elizabeth Dorothy Cavendish (1786), Lady Anne Cavendish (1787), Gen. The Hon. Henry Cavendish (1789), Elizabeth Cavendish (1792), Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham (1793), Lady Caroline Cavendish (1797), among others. Some children, such as Elizabeth and Charlotte, died in early childhood.

**Death and Succession**

George Cavendish died at Burlington House in 1834 and was buried in All Saints' Church, Derby. The earldom was succeeded by his grandson William, the son of his eldest son William Cavendish, who had been killed in a carriage accident in 1812.

**See Also**

- Earl of Burlington

- Duke of Devonshire

- Baron Clifford

**References and External Links**

Information about his parliamentary contributions can be found in Hansard (1803–2005).