William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, KG (14 December 1748 – 29 July 1811), was a British nobleman, aristocrat, and politician. He was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, by his wife, the heiress Lady Charlotte Boyle, suo jure Baroness Clifford, who brought in considerable money and estates to the Cavendish family. He was invited to join the Cabinet on three occasions, but declined each offer.[1] He was Lord High Treasurer of Ireland and Governor of Cork, and Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire.[1] In 1782, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter.
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Quick Facts His GraceThe Duke of DevonshireKG, Lord High Treasurer of Ireland ...
Both daughters left descendants and the title of Clifford barony fell into abeyance between them. The dukedom and estates would pass to a grandson of a younger brother of the 5th Duke of Devonshire; however, the 7th Duke of Devonshire would marry a daughter of the 6th Earl of Carlisle, who was thus a granddaughter of the 5th Duke and niece of the 6th Duke.
Georgiana Cavendish became a socialite who gathered around her a large circle of literary and political friends. Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds painted her; the Gainsborough painting would later be disposed of by the 5th Duke and was recovered much later, after many vicissitudes.
Second marriage
By his second wife, Lady Elizabeth Foster, he had no legitimate issue, but the couple had two illegitimate children born before their marriage. A son, Augustus, was given the surname Clifford and became Sir Augustus Clifford and rose to be an admiral in the Royal Navy and the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in the House of Lords; his descendants would die out in the male line in 1895. The Duke's daughter by Lady Elizabeth, Caroline, was given a different surname from her brother, St. Jules. Caroline St. Jules would marry the Hon. George Lamb, a brother of the 2nd Viscount Melbourne (himself married to Lady Caroline Ponsonby, niece of Lady Georgiana Spencer, the 5th Duke's 1st wife). Caroline and George Lamb had no issue.
Mistress
The 5th Duke had a daughter—Charlotte, given the surname Williams—by his mistress, Charlotte Spencer, the daughter of an indigent clergyman. His first child was born shortly after his marriage to Lady Georgiana Spencer (no relation to his mistress). Charlotte would later marry suitably.
Buxton
The fifth Duke would be closely involved with the nearby spa town of Buxton. He used the profits from his copper mines to transform the town into a replica of Bath, including the Crescent Hotel and an octagonal set of stables, which later became the Devonshire Dome.
Ancestors
More information Ancestors of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire ...
Ancestors of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
Michael Durban, 'Cavendish, William, fifth duke of Devonshire (1748–1811)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 30 April 2010