George Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess Of Cholmondeley

George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, was born on 11 May 1749 and died on 10 April 1827. He was a British peer and politician who held various titles and political positions throughout his lifetime. His early titles included Viscount Malpas from 1764 to 1770 and Earl of Cholmondeley from 1770 to 1815, before being elevated to Marquess of Cholmondeley in 1815.

**Family and Education**

Cholmondeley was the son of George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas, and Hester Edwardes. His grandfather was George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley. He was a direct descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, who served as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. For his education, he attended Eton College.

**Early Life and Personal Relationships**

In January 1776, Cholmondeley entered into an affair with Grace Dalrymple Elliot, a woman noted for her beauty. The relationship reportedly began during a masquerade ball at the Pantheon. Grace was legally separated from her husband, Dr. John Eliot, who later pursued a divorce. The affair lasted approximately three years.

**Political Career**

In 1770, Cholmondeley succeeded his grandfather as the fourth Earl of Cholmondeley and became a member of the House of Lords. He was admitted to the Privy Council in April 1783 and appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard under the government of the Duke of Portland, a role he held until December of that year. Following this, he remained out of government service for nearly three decades.

In 1812, he was appointed Lord Steward of the Household in Spencer Perceval’s administration, a position he retained after Robert Jenkinson, Lord Liverpool, became Prime Minister, until 1821. His peerage titles were further expanded in 1815 when he was created Earl of Rocksavage in the County of Chester and Marquess of Cholmondeley.

**Honors and Appointments**

Cholmondeley received several honors during his lifetime. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order in 1819 and was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1822. He served as Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire from 1770 to 1783 and as Vice-Admiral of Cheshire from 1770 to 1827.

**Geographical Names**

In 1793, George Vancouver named Cholmondeley Sound in southeast Alaska after him.

**Marriage and Family**

On 25 April 1791, Cholmondeley married Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. This marriage brought the ancient hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain into the Cholmondeley family.

**Associations and Anecdotes**

Cholmondeley was known to associate with several courtesans, including Gertrude Mahon, Grace Elliott, and Kitty Frederick. A notable anecdote involves a wager recorded in the betting book of Brooks's, a London gentlemen’s club, where Cholmondeley bet Lord Derby two guineas that he could have sexual intercourse with a woman in a balloon one thousand yards from the Earth, with a payout of 500 guineas if successful; the outcome of this wager remains unconfirmed.

**Cultural References**

Arthur Sherbo, an English Studies professor and Guggenheim Fellow, suggested that Cholmondeley was a possible inspiration for Rawdon Crawley, a character in William Makepeace Thackeray’s satirical novel *Vanity Fair*.

**External links and Further Reading**

Additional sources include contributions by Cholmondeley in the Hansard archives, records related to Houghton Hall and Cholmondeley Castle, and a portrait of Grace Dalrymple Elliott by Thomas Gainsborough, allegedly commissioned by Cholmondeley and exhibited in 1778.

George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, was born on 11 May 1749 and died on 10 April 1827. He was a member of the British peerage and held various political offices during his lifetime.

**Family Background and Education**

He was the son of George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas, and Hester Edwardes. His paternal grandfather was George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley. He was a direct descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. He received his education at Eton College.

**Early Life and Personal Relationships**

In January 1776, Cholmondeley commenced a romantic affair with Grace Dalrymple Elliot, a woman recognized for her beauty. The relationship reportedly began at a masquerade ball held at the Pantheon. Grace Dalrymple Elliot was legally separated from her husband, Dr. John Eliot, who pursued a divorce months later. This affair lasted approximately three years.

**Political Career**

In 1770, he succeeded his grandfather as the fourth Earl of Cholmondeley and became a member of the House of Lords. He was appointed to the Privy Council in April 1783 and simultaneously appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard under the government of the Duke of Portland; he held this position until December of the same year.

After 1783, Cholmondeley remained out of government service for nearly three decades. In 1812, he was appointed Lord Steward of the Household under Spencer Perceval’s government and retained this position after Lord Liverpool became Prime Minister, serving until 1821.

**Peerage and Honors**

In 1815, Cholmondeley was created Earl of Rocksavage, in the County of Chester, and Marquess of Cholmondeley. He was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order (Hanoverian Order) in 1819 and was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1822.

**Public Roles**

He served as Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire from 1770 to 1783 and as Vice-Admiral of Cheshire from 1770 to 1827.

**Geographical Named Features**

Cholmondeley Sound, located in southeast Alaska, was named in his honor in 1793 by George Vancouver.

**Marriage and Family**

On 25 April 1791, Cholmondeley married Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. This marriage brought the hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain into the Cholmondeley family.

**Associations and Anecdotes**

Cholmondeley was known to have associations with courtesans such as Gertrude Mahon, Grace Elliott, and Kitty Frederick. Historical records note that he once wagered two guineas (£2.10) with Lord Derby that he could have sexual intercourse with a woman in a balloon at a height of one thousand yards. The outcome of this wager is not documented.

**Cultural References**

Arthur Sherbo, an English Studies professor and Guggenheim Fellow, proposed that Cholmondeley might have served as the inspiration for Rawdon Crawley, a character in William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel *Vanity Fair*.

**External Resources**

Additional information on Cholmondeley's contributions can be found in the Hansard archives. The estate Houghton Hall and Cholmondeley Castle are linked to his lineage, and a portrait of Grace Dalrymple Elliot by Thomas Gainsborough, possibly commissioned by Cholmondeley, was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1778.