John Holles, 1st Duke Of Newcastle

John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, was born on 9 January 1662 in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire. He was the son of the 3rd Earl of Clare and Grace Pierrepont. Grace Pierrepont was a daughter of The Honorable William Pierrepont and granddaughter of the 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull. Holles' family connections linked him to prominent noble lineages in England.

In his early years, Holles supported William of Orange and Mary Stuart during the Glorious Revolution. In November 1688, he represented the risings in York and Nottingham, waiting on the Prince of Orange. On 14 January 1689, he was elected Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire under the title Lord Houghton. Shortly thereafter, on 16 January 1689, he succeeded his father as the 4th Earl of Clare and was called to the House of Lords.

Holles held several royal appointments including Gentleman of the Bedchamber to William III and Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex. In 1694, he was created the Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a title which was established for the second time in British history; the first creation had become extinct with the death of his father-in-law. On 30 May 1698, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter. As Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, he commanded the Nottinghamshire Militia directly.

Holles married Lady Margaret Cavendish, his first cousin, on 1 March 1690. Margaret was the daughter of Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle. She was the heiress to her father's estates in the East Midlands and Northumberland. Together, they had a single child, Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles, born in 1694. She married the 2nd Earl of Oxford and Mortimer and was the mother of Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland. Holles inherited additional estates from Denzil Holles, 3rd Baron Holles.

In 1710, Holles purchased Wimpole Park in Cambridgeshire and the Manor of Marylebone. The Marylebone lands later passed to his son-in-law, Edward Harley (later 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer), who named Holles Street in his memory. A rivalry developed between Holles and his sister Elizabeth, following her marriage to Christopher Vane, 1st Baron Barnard.

Holles died on 15 July 1711 due to injuries sustained from a fall from his horse during a hunting expedition near Welbeck. His death occurred in 1711; the exact date of burial was 9 August 1711, at St. John's Chapel in Westminster Abbey. A large monument, designed by James Gibbs and carved by Francis Bird with assistance from John Michael Rysbrack, stands in the north transept of the abbey. The monument features a reclining figure of Holles flanked by statues representing Wisdom and Sincerity.

His estate records, including correspondence and letters to his wife, are preserved at the University of Nottingham’s Manuscripts and Special Collections, primarily within the Holles Papers of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection. The coat of arms associated with the Holles family is also part of his historical record.