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George Compton, 4th Earl of Northampton

Northampton was the son of James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton, and his wife Mary (née Noel). Prime Minister Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, was his younger brother. He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1681, aged 17. Lord Northampton later served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire from 1686 to 1687 and again from 1689 to 1727 and was Constable of the Tower of London from 1712 to 1715. At the coronation of William and Mary in 1689, he bore the King's sceptre and cross. In 1702, he was admitted to the Privy Council.

Lord Northampton married Jane Fox, daughter of Sir Stephen Fox and his first wife Elizabeth Whittle and half-sister of Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, in 1686. She died on 10 June 1721. He married secondly Elizabeth, Lady Thorold, the widow of Sir George Thorold, 1st Baronet, on 3 July 1726. She died aged 67 on 15 January 1750 and was buried with her parents, Sir James Rushout, 1st Baronet and his wife Alice Pitt, at Blockley, Gloucestershire.^[1]

Northampton died on 15 April 1727, aged 62, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son James.

See also[edit]

List of deserters from James II to William of Orange

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, ^{[page needed]}
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[self-published source] [better source needed]}
• Lundy, Darryl. "FAQ". The Peerage.^{[unreliable source]}