Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater (11 August 1681 – 11 January 1744), styled as Viscount Brackley from 1687 to 1701 and as the Earl of Bridgewater from 1701 to 1720, was an English peer, courtier and landowner. Born into the Egerton family, he succeeded as Earl of Bridgewater in 1701, before being created Duke of Bridgewater on 18 June 1720, with subsidiary titles including Marquess of Brackley.
The Duke of Bridgewater
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Born | 11 August 1681 |
Died | 11 January 1744(1744-01-11) (aged 62) |
Alma mater | Whitgift School |
Spouses |
(m. 1703; died 1714)Lady Rachael Russell
(m. 1722) |
Children |
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Parent(s) | John Egerton, 3rd Earl of Bridgewater Lady Jane Paulet |
Scroop Egerton was born on 11 August 1681, the third son of John Egerton, 3rd Earl of Bridgewater, and his second wife, Lady Jane Paulet. His maternal grandparents were Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton, and his second wife, Mary Scrope, natural daughterofEmanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland.[2] Egerton is recorded as being educated at the Whitgift School, Croydon.[3]
Bridgewater, a Whig, served twice as Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, first from 1702 to 1711 (during the reign of Queen Anne) and later again from 1714 to 1728 (the reigns of George I and George II).
Bridgewater first saw royal service when appointed to the householdofPrince George of DenmarkasGentleman of the Bedchamber and Master of the Horse. Later, he served as Lord ChamberlaintoCaroline, Princess of Wales, and subsequently as Lord of the Bedchamber to her husband, who had by then acceded to the throne as King George II.[4]
Scroop Egerton commissioned the building of Brackley's new Town Hall in 1704, and it was completed in 1706. He was the lord of the manor, and also Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire at this time.
On 9 February 1703, Bridgewater married his first wife, Lady Elizabeth Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and the former Sarah Jenyns. The couple had two children:
The Countess of Bridgewater died on 22 March 1714. About eight years later, on 4 August 1722, Bridgewater married his second wife, Lady Rachael, daughter of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, and Elizabeth née Howland. The couple had eight children:
Bibliography
Court offices | ||
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New title | Lord ChamberlaintoCaroline, Princess of Wales 1714–1717 |
Succeeded by |
Honorary titles | ||
Preceded by | Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire 1703–1711 |
Succeeded by |
Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire 1714–1728 |
Succeeded by | |
Peerage of England | ||
Preceded by | Earl of Bridgewater 2nd creation 1701–1744 |
Succeeded by |
Peerage of Great Britain | ||
New creation | Duke of Bridgewater 1720–1744 |
Succeeded by |