George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury

George William Frederick Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury KG, PC, DL (20 November 1804 – 6 January 1878), styled Lord Bruce between 1814 and 1821 and Earl Bruce between 1821 and 1856, was a British peer, Liberal politician and courtier.

The Marquess of Ailesbury
KG, PC, DL
Portrait by John Hayter
Master of the Horse
In office
24 June 1859 – 26 June 1866
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterThe Viscount Palmerston
The Earl Russell
Preceded byThe Duke of Beaufort
Succeeded byThe Duke of Beaufort
In office
12 December 1868 – 17 February 1874
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterWilliam Ewart Gladstone
Preceded byThe Duke of Beaufort
Succeeded byThe Earl of Bradford
Personal details
Born20 November 1804 (1804-11-20)
Lower Grosvenor Street, London
Died6 January 1878 (1878-01-07) (aged 73)
Lockeridge House, Wiltshire
NationalityBritish
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Lady Mary Herbert
(1813–1892)
Parent(s)Charles Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Marquess of Ailesbury
The Hon. Henrietta Hill
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford

Background and education

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Born in Lower Grosvenor Street, London, Bruce was the oldest son of Charles Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Marquess of Ailesbury, and his first wife the Hon. Henrietta Hill, oldest daughter of Noel Hill, 1st Baron Berwick.[1] He was the brother of Ernest Brudenell-Bruce, 3rd Marquess of Ailesbury, and the half-brother of Lord Charles Brudenell-Bruce. He was baptised at St George's, Hanover Square, with King George III and Queen Charlotte as his godparents. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.[1] In 1856, he succeeded to his father's titles[1] and, in 1868, to those of his distant cousin James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan.

Career

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Bruce entered the British House of Commons in 1826, representing Marlborough as Member of Parliament (MP) until 1829.[2][3] In 1838, he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's subsidiary title Baron Bruce.[1][4] He was appointed Yeomanry Aide to Queen Victoria in 1857 and was invested as a Privy Counsellor in 1859.[5] Ailesbury held political office under Lord Palmerston and Lord Russell as Master of the Horse between 1859 and 1866.[2] Having previously been a Deputy Lieutenant, he became Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire in 1863.[6] On 25 May 1864, he was invested as a Knight of the Garter.[7] He was once again Master of the Horse, this time under William Ewart Gladstone, between 1868 and 1874.[2]

Family

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On 11 May 1837, Lord Ailesbury married Lady Mary Herbert,[8] third daughter of George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke, in the same church where he was baptised. Brudenell-Bruce died in 1878, aged 73, at Lockeridge House, near Marlborough, Wiltshire, and was buried there. Because he had no issue, his titles were inherited by his younger brother, Ernest Brudenell-Bruce. The Marchioness of Ailesbury died at 78 Pall Mall, London, in January 1892, aged 78.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Dod, Robert P. (1860). The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Whitaker and Co. p. 85.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sir George William Frederick Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  3. ^ "House of Commons: Macclesfield to Marylebone West". leighrayment.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "No. 19633". The London Gazette. 6 July 1838. p. 1533.
  5. ^ "No. 22276". The London Gazette. 18 June 1859. p. 2401.
  6. ^ "No. 22721". The London Gazette. 27 March 1863. p. 1750.
  7. ^ "No. 22857". The London Gazette. 24 May 1864. p. 2728.
  8. ^ "Mary Caroline (née Herbert), Marchioness of Ailesbury (1813–1892), Wife of 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury; daughter of 11th Earl of Pembroke". National Portrait Gallery, London.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Marlborough
1826–1829
With: Lord Brudenell
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Master of the Horse
1859–1866
Succeeded by
Master of the Horse
1868–1874
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
1863–1878
Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Marquess of Ailesbury
1856–1878
Succeeded by
Peerage of England
Preceded by Earl of Cardigan
1868–1878
Succeeded by
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Baron Bruce
(writ in acceleration)

1838–1878
Succeeded by