Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne

Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne (née Milbanke), was born in 1751 and died in 1818. She was the wife of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne, a politician affiliated with the Whig party, and the mother of William Lamb, who became the 2nd Viscount Melbourne and served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Early Life and Family Background:

Elizabeth Milbanke was baptized on October 15, 1751, in Croft-on-Tees, located in the North Riding of Yorkshire. She was the youngest child and only daughter of Sir Ralph Milbanke, 5th Baronet, and his wife, Elizabeth (née Hedworth). Her paternal family resided at Halnaby Hall in Yorkshire. Her father was a politician, and her maternal grandfather, John Hedworth, served as a Member of Parliament for County Durham. Elizabeth received private education, where she learned French and poetry composition. Her mother passed away in 1767.

Marriage:

On April 13, 1769, Elizabeth married Sir Peniston Lamb, 2nd Baronet, in London. The couple resided at Melbourne House in Piccadilly. Peniston Lamb was later elevated to the Peerage of Ireland as Lord Melbourne in 1770 and as Viscount Melbourne in 1781. The Lamb family also maintained country residences, including Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire and Melbourne Hall in Derbyshire.

Personal and Social Relationships:

Lady Melbourne quickly established herself in London Whig society and became a prominent political hostess. From the early years of her marriage, she cultivated friendships and relationships that bolstered her social and political influence. She maintained discreet extramarital affairs with several men, including George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, and developed a close acquaintance with George, Prince of Wales, in the early 1780s. It is widely believed that her youngest son, George (born 1784), was fathered by the Prince of Wales, who also served as the boy's godfather.

Her relationships extended to friendships with notable aristocratic women, including Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, and Henrietta Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough. Lady Melbourne's interactions with her daughter-in-law, Lady Caroline Lamb, were strained; Lady Caroline had a notable affair with Lord Byron, whom Lady Melbourne liked and befriended.

In her lifetime, Lady Melbourne was known for her intelligence and her pragmatic approach to social and political affairs. Her private life included multiple love affairs, which at times caused family tensions. Despite societal judgments, she remained a central figure in political and social circles, actively supporting her children's careers, especially that of her eldest son, William.

Later Years and Death:

In 1815, Lord Melbourne was ennobled as Baron Melbourne of Melbourne, giving the family a peerage in the United Kingdom. Elizabeth Lamb died on April 6, 1818, at Melbourne House from rheumatism. She was reportedly in pain and was memorialized as a significant figure among political hostesses of her era. On her deathbed, she advised her daughter Emily to remain faithful not to her husband but to her lover, Lord Palmerston. Her husband, Peniston Lamb, died in 1828.

Children:

Elizabeth and Peniston Lamb had six children who survived childhood:

- Hon. Peniston Lamb (1770–1805), fathered by Lord Melbourne.

- Elizabeth Lamb (born 1777).

- William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (1779–1848).

- Frederick Lamb, 3rd Viscount Melbourne (1782–1853).

- Hon. George Lamb (1784–1834).

- Emily Lamb, Countess Cowper (1787–1869).

Additional offspring, Harriet Lamb, died at age 14 in 1803. Notably, the paternity of some of her children remains uncertain due to her numerous affairs.

References, sources, and external links are documented in the original biography.