George Child Villiers, 5th Earl Of Jersey

George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey, GCH, PC, was born on 19 August 1773 and died on 3 October 1859. He was a British courtier and politician affiliated with the Conservative Party, belonging to the Villiers family. Prior to inheriting the earldom, he was known as George Villiers and styled as Viscount Villiers until 1805. In 1819, he added the name "Child" to his surname by royal licence.

**Early life and education**

He was the son of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey, and Frances Twysden, daughter of Philip Twysden, Bishop of Raphoe. His early education included attendance at Harrow School, followed by obtaining a Master of Arts degree from St John's College, Cambridge. In 1795, he served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales.

**Political and court appointments**

He succeeded to the earldom in 1805 upon his father's death and became a member of the House of Lords. He served as Lord Chamberlain of the Household twice: first under the Duke of Wellington in 1830 (from July to November) and again under Sir Robert Peel from 1834 to 1835. He was appointed to the Privy Council in July 1830. From 1841 to 1846, he held the position of Master of the Horse under Peel, and briefly again in 1852 under Lord Derby. The University of Oxford conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law.

**Family**

On 23 May 1804, Lord Jersey married Lady Sarah Sophia Fane, the daughter of John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland. Lady Sarah was the granddaughter and heiress of Robert Child, a major shareholder in the banking firm Child & Co. In 1819, Lord Jersey incorporated the surname Child into his own. Lady Jersey was recognized as an influential hostess and patroness of Almack's during the Regency era and George IV's reign, as well as a prominent figure in high society.

Lord Jersey was an enthusiast of fox hunting and was involved in horse breeding and training. He owned two Epsom Derby winners: Mameluke (1827) and Bay Middleton (1836), along with other notable thoroughbreds including Glencoe. His marriage was reportedly unaffected by his wife’s numerous extramarital affairs; it is noted that he considered fighting a duel unnecessary given her multiple liaisons.

The couple had seven children:

- George Child Villiers, 6th Earl of Jersey (1808–1859), who married Julia Peel, daughter of Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister.

- The Honourable Augustus John Villiers (1810–1847), married Georgiana Elphinstone.

- The Honourable Frederick William Child Villiers (1815–1871), married Elizabeth Maria van Reede, and served as Member of Parliament for Weymouth.

- The Honourable Francis John Robert Child Villiers (1819–1862), MP for Rochester.

- Lady Sarah Frederica Caroline Child Villiers (1822–1853), married Nicholas Paul, 9th Prince Esterhazy.

- Lady Clementina Augusta Wellington Child Villiers (1824–1858).

- Lady Adela Corisande Maria Child Villiers (1828–1860), married Lt.-Col. Charles Parke Ibbetson.

Lord Jersey died aged 86, with his eldest son succeeding him; however, the son died several weeks later. The Countess of Jersey passed away in January 1867 at age 81.

**References and sources**

The main historical source is Herbert Maxwell’s 1899 entry in the Dictionary of National Biography. Additional media is available on Wikimedia Commons.