Lord William Cavendish (1748–1811) • FamilySearch

Lord William Cavendish

Brief Life History of William

When Lord William Cavendish was born on 14 December 1748, in Hardwick, Derbyshire, England, his father, William Cavendish 4th Duke of Devonshire, was 28 and his mother, Charlotte Elizabeth Boyle, was 17. He married Lady Georgiana Spencer on 7 June 1774, in Wimbledon, Surrey, England. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 5 daughters. He died on 29 July 1811, in Piccadilly, London, England, United Kingdom, at the age of 62, and was buried in Derby Cathedral, Derby, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom.

Photos and Memories (4)

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Family Time Line

Lord William Cavendish
1748–1811
Lady Georgiana Spencer
1757–1806
Marriage: 7 June 1774
Cavendish
1775–1777
Elizabeth Courtney
Lydia Frances Cavendish
1782–
Lady Georgiana Dorothy Cavendish
1783–1858
Henrietta Elizabeth Cavendish
1785–1862
William George Spencer Cavendish 6th Duke of Devonshire
1790–1858

Sources (19)

  • William Duke, "England Marriages, 1538–1973 "
  • William Cavendish, "Find A Grave Index"
  • Granville in entry for Henrietta Elizabeth Dowager Countess Granville, "England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944"

World Events (8)

1752 · Gregorian Calendar is Adopted

Gregorian calendar was adopted in England in 1752. That year, Wednesday, September 2, 1752, was followed by Thursday, September 14th, 1752, which caused the country to skip ahead eleven days.

1754 · Seven Years' War

The Seven Years' War began as a North American conflict then stretched between England and France. England, along with allies, battled France in America, India, and Europe, making it arguably the first global war. The conflict ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and England was victorious. The Seven Years' war ultimately led to discontent in the colonies and the American Revolution.

1770 · Boston Tea Party

Thousands of British troops were sent to Boston to enforce Britain's tax laws. Taxes were repealed on all imports to the American Colonies except tea. Americans, disguised as Native Americans, dumped chests of tea imported by the East India Company into the Boston Harbor in protest. This escalated tensions between the American Colonies and the British government.

Name Meaning

English: habitational name from a place in Suffolk named Cavendish, from an Old English byname Cāfna (meaning ‘bold, daring’) + Old English edisc ‘enclosed pasture’. Cavendish is the surname of the Dukes of Devonshire. They are descended from Sir John Cavendish, who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench (1372–81). Under the Tudors and Stuarts, a succession of shrewd and powerful heads of the family achieved political prominence and became extremely wealthy. William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire, was a strong supporter of the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and of William of Orange (William III) against James II. In 1694 he was created Duke of Devonshire. The Latin family motto, Cavendo tutus ‘safe through taking care’ is a pun on the surname.

Manx: Anglicized form of Corjeag, a shortened form of Mac Quartag ‘son of Svarteygr’ (from Old Norse, meaning ‘black-eyed’). Folk etymology interpreted Corjeag incorrectly as Manx curjeig ‘alms-dish’ and equally incorrectly supposed that the surname Cavendish was a synonym meaning ‘giving-dish’. Manxmen's familiarity with the English surname presumably led to the substitution.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

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