Catherine Cavendish, Duchess Of Devonshire

Catherine Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (neé Hoskins), was born in 1700 and died on 8 May 1777. She was the only child of John Hoskins of Oxted (1640–1717) and his wife, Catherine Hale (1673–1703). Her maternal grandfather was William Hale, a Member of Parliament, and her maternal uncle was Sir Bernard Hale, a judge. Her first cousins included army generals Bernard Hale and John Hale.

On 27 March 1718, she married William Cavendish, who was then a Member of Parliament and held the title Marquess of Hartington. The couple’s marriage took place in 1718, and William Cavendish inherited the title of Duke of Devonshire in 1729, becoming the 3rd Duke.

Catherine and William Cavendish had several children:

- Lady Caroline Cavendish (1719–1760), who married William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough, producing issue.

- William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764), who married Charlotte Boyle, 6th Baroness Clifford, and had children.

- Lord George Augustus Cavendish (died 2 May 1794), who was a Member of Parliament and died unmarried.

- Lady Elizabeth Cavendish (before 1727–1796), who married John Ponsonby, MP, and had children.

- Lady Rachel Cavendish (1727–1805), who married Horatio Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, and had children.

- Field Marshal Lord Frederick Cavendish (circa 1729–1803), who died unmarried.

- Lord John Cavendish (circa 1734–1796), who died unmarried.

In 1733, the Cavendish family’s London residence, Devonshire House (formerly known as Berkeley House), was destroyed by fire during renovations—potentially caused by builder negligence. The family engaged William Kent to design a new residence, which stood until the 1920s. After the demolition, much of its contents were transferred to Chatsworth House, the family estate in Derbyshire.

William Cavendish, the 3rd Duke, died in 1755. The eldest son, William, succeeded him as the 4th Duke of Devonshire. The younger William’s marriage to Lady Charlotte Boyle, an exceptionally wealthy heiress, was opposed by Catherine. Following her husband's death in 1755 and the subsequent death of Lady Charlotte the previous year, Catherine remained the head of the household at Chatsworth until her grandson, the 5th Duke, married Georgiana Spencer in 1774.