PERCY, George, Lord Lovaine (1778-1867), of 8 Portman Square, Mdx.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832, ed. D.R. Fisher, 2009
Available from Cambridge University Press

Constituency

Dates

29 July 1799 - 21 Oct. 1830

Family and Education

b. 22 June 1778, 1st s. of Algernon Percy†, 1st earl of Beverley, and Isabella Susanna, da. of Peter Burrell† of Beckenham, Kent; bro. of Hon. Charles Percy*, Hon. Henry Percy*, Hon. Josceline Percy† and Hon. William Henry Percy*. educ. Eton 1789-95; St. John’s, Camb. 1797. m. 22 June 1801, Louisa Harcourt, da. of Hon. James Archibald Stuart Wortley Mackenzie† of Admaleish, Bute, 3s. 2da. suc. fa. as 2nd earl of Beverley 21 Oct. 1830; cos. Algernon Percy as 5th duke of Northumberland 12 Feb. 1865. d. 21 Aug. 1867.

Offices Held

Ld. of treasury May 1804-Feb. 1806; commr. bd. of control Apr. 1807-May 1812; ld. of bedchamber Mar. 1821-Dec. 1830; capt. yeomen of the guard Jan. 1842-July 1846; PC 15 Jan. 1842.

Col. Percy vols. 1798, col. en second 1803; lt.-col. Northumb. militia 1804, col. 1804.

Biography

Lovaine, who continued to be returned unopposed for Bere Alston on his father’s interest, enjoyed a temporary revival of his political fortunes in the early 1820s. He voted in defence of the Liverpool ministry’s conduct towards Queen Caroline, 6 Feb., and against Maberly’s resolution on the state of the revenue, 6 Mar. 1821. Later that month he was appointed to the household and thereafter he voted silently with government. He cast no recorded votes on the Catholic question. In 1824 Charles Williams Wynn*, president of the India board, who had met him at Spa, suggested that he might make a suitable governor of Madras, observing that ‘he is very poor, and has more information and sense than the world gives him credit for’.1 He was granted three weeks’ leave on account of ill health, 17 Feb. 1825. After 1826 he relapsed into inactivity and gave no more recorded votes; in February 1829 Planta, the Wellington ministry’s patronage secretary, listed him as one who would be ‘absent’ from the divisions on Catholic emancipation. He was counted among the ministry’s ‘friends’ in September 1830, but had royal permission to spend the winter in Italy. He wrote to Wellington from Florence, 8 Oct. 1830, explaining that as he was anxious to support the government he had obtained his father’s permission to ‘place my seat at your disposal’, although he stipulated that he should ‘have the power of resuming the seat’ after two years.2 His father’s death a fortnight later resolved the matter by removing him to the Lords.3 He was considered for reappointment to the household by Peel in 1834, and was given a post by him in 1842. Although he tendered his resignation in 1846 over repeal of the corn laws, he was apparently dissuaded from carrying it out.4 He succeeded his cousin as duke of Northumberland in 1865 and died in August 1867, when he was succeeded by his eldest son Algernon George Percy*.

Ref Volumes: 1820-1832

Author: Terry Jenkins

Notes

  • 1. Buckingham, Mems. Geo. IV, ii. 165, 170-1.
  • 2. Alnwick Castle mss Add F/176.
  • 3. The will was proved under £250,000 (PROB 11/1781/67; IR26/1245/105).
  • 4. Wellington Pol. Corresp. ii. 461; Add 40582, ff. 373-4, 377-9; Parker, Peel, iii. 308.