Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton

Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton KB PC (c. 1718 5 July 1765), styled Marquess of Winchester from 1754 to 1759, was a British soldier, nobleman and Whig politician. He was the eldest son of Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton and Catherine Parry.

Educated at Winchester, he joined the British Army and became a lieutenant-colonel in 1745. Powlett was a Groom of the Bedchamber to Frederick, Prince of Wales from 1749 until the Prince's death in 1751. He had been promoted lieutenant general by 12 March 1752, when he was made a KB. Upon the succession of his father to the Dukedom in December 1754, he became known as Marquess of Winchester,[1] and he left his seat at Lymington to succeed his father in Hampshire. He would remain member for that county until his succession as Duke of Bolton in 1759. On 22 December 1758, he was sworn of the Privy Council.

On 5 July 1765, Bolton committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol in his house in Grosvenor Square; "nobody knows why or wherefore," wrote Horace Walpole, "except that there is a good deal of madness in the blood".[2] He left most of his fortune to his illegitimate daughter, Jean Mary Browne-Powlett (c.1751–1814), who married Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton. He was succeeded in the Dukedom by his brother Harry.

References

  1. George Edward Cokayne, ed. Vicary Gibbs, The Complete Peerage, vol. II, p. 214, The St Catherine Press, London, 1912
  2. Walpole, Horace (1844). Letters of Horace Walpole, earl of Orford 1. Lea & Blanchard. p. 133. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Lord Nassau Powlett
Sir Harry Burrard
Member of Parliament for Lymington
1741–1754
With: Sir Harry Burrard
Succeeded by
Sir Harry Burrard
Adam Drummond
Preceded by
Lord Harry Powlett
Alexander Thistlethwayte
Member of Parliament for Hampshire
1754–1759
With: Alexander Thistlethwayte
Succeeded by
Alexander Thistlethwayte
Henry Bilson-Legge
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The 4th Duke of Bolton
Lieutenant of the Tower of London
1754–1760
Succeeded by
George Paulet
Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire
1758–1763
Succeeded by
Marquess of Carnarvon
Vice-Admiral of Dorset and Hampshire
1759–1765
Vacant
Title next held by
The 6th Duke of Bolton
Peerage of England
Preceded by
Harry Powlett
Duke of Bolton
1759–1765
Succeeded by
Harry Powlett
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, March 09, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.