Family and Education

b. 13 Feb. 1774, 3rd but 2nd surv. s. of Assheton Curzon*, 1st Baron Curzon, by 2nd w., and half-bro. of Penn Assheton Curzon*. educ. Westminster; L. Inn 1791; Christ Church, Oxf. 1792. m. 14 Oct. 1808, Harriett Anne (later s.j. Baroness Zouche), da. and coh. of Sir Cecil Bisshopp*, 8th Bt., 2s.

Offices Held

Lt. Rugeley vols. 1803, capt. 1804.

Biography

Curzon was not quite old enough to be returned when his father obtained a peerage in 1794, but he came in for the family seat at the next general election and supported Pitt. Addington promoted his father in the peerage in 1802 and in his only known speech before 1820 Curzon seconded the address, 23 Nov., but he voted in support of the Prince of Wales’s financial claims, 4 Mar. 1803. Pitt’s second ministry listed him as a supporter in September 1804 and he voted against the censure of Melville, 8 Apr. 1805, yet was reckoned ‘doubtful Pitt’ in July. He voted against the Grenville ministry’s repeal of Pitt’s Additional Force Act, 30 Apr. 1806. He divided with the Perceval ministry on the address, 23 Jan., and the Scheldt inquiry, 26 Jan. and 5 Mar. 1810, but the Whigs classed him as ‘doubtful’ in mid March and he was absent from the decisive clash on the Scheldt on the 30th. He voted against parliamentary reform, 21 May 1810, and with government on the Regency, 1 Jan. 1811. The Liverpool ministry counted him among their supporters and his few recorded votes were all with them, on the property tax, 18 Mar.; the civil list, 24 May 1816; the Duke of Clarence’s allowance, 15 Apr. 1818; Tierney’s censure motion, 18 May 1819, and the foreign enlistment bill, 10 June. He paired in favour of a clause of the public revenues bill, 20 June 1816. Curzon voted for Hippisley’s motion for safeguards on Catholic relief, 11 May; paired against the relief bill, 24 May 1813, and voted against Grattan’s relief motions, 21 May 1816 and 9 May 1817. He died 14 May 1863.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: M. H. Port

Notes