William Legge (2nd Earl of Dartmouth) was born in 1731 to George, Viscount Lewisham, and Elizabeth. His father died when he was one, with him inheriting the title ‘Earl of Dartmouth’ from his Grandfather (another William Legge). He studied at Westminster School and was in the year above William Cowper (they sat next to each other in the later years of their schooling). When he succeeded his grandfather in his Earldom in 1750, he went on a grand tour with Frederick North, his half-brother from his mother’s remarriage. North was also a future Prime Minister, known as ‘The PM who lost America’.

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Painting: Portrait of William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, by Nathaniel Hone the Elder. This painting is in the public domain, but unfortunately not part of our collection.

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Need to catch up on the series so far? Click this hashtag - #cowperscrashcourse - to access them all in one place!⁠

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#OlneyHistory #WilliamLegge #FrederickNorth #NathanielHonetheElder #Portrait #cowperandnewtonmuseum