Charles Cornwallis, 1st Earl Cornwallis PC (29 March 1700 – 23 June 1762), styled The Honourable Charles Cornwallis until 1722 and known as The Lord Cornwallis between 1722 and 1753, was a British peer.
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The Earl Cornwallis
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| Lord-Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets and Constable of the Tower of London | |
| In office 1740–1762 | |
| Monarchs | George II George III |
| Preceded by | Vacant |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Berkeley of Stratton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 March 1700 (1700-03-29) |
| Died | 23 June 1762 (1762-06-24) (aged 62) |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Hon. Elizabeth Townshend (d. 1785) |
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Cornwallis was the son of Charles Cornwallis, 4th Baron Cornwallis, by Lady Charlotte, daughter of Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Arran. Edward Cornwallis and Frederick Cornwallis were his younger brothers.[citation needed] He was admitted to Clare College, Cambridge in 1717.[1]
Cornwallis succeeded his father in the barony in 1722. In 1740 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets and Constable of the Tower of London,[2] posts he held until 1762.[citation needed] In 1753 he was created Viscount Brome, in the County of Suffolk, and Earl Cornwallis.[3]
Lord Cornwallis married the Honourable Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, in 1722. They had seven children:
He died in June 1762, aged 62, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, who became a prominent military commander and was created Marquess Cornwallis in 1792. The Countess Cornwallis died on 17 December 1785. [citation needed]
He was the grandson of Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis; the great-grandson of Charles Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis; and the great-great-grandson of Frederick Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis.
He was the grandfather of Charles Cornwallis; the great-grandfather of James Mann; the 2nd great-grandfather of Fiennes Cornwallis; the 3rd great-grandfather of Fiennes Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis; the 4th great-grandfather of Wykeham Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis; and the 5th great-grandfather of Fiennes Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Justice in Eyre South of the Trent 1722–1740 |
Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Vacant Title last held by The Earl of Leicester |
Lord-Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets 1740 – 1762 |
Succeeded by |
| Constable of the Tower of London 1740 – 1762 | ||
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| New creation | Earl Cornwallis 1753–1762 |
Succeeded by |
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by | Baron Cornwallis 1722–1762 |
Succeeded by |