John Spencer (British politician)

John Spencer, his only son and their servant.

John Spencer (13 May 1708 – 19 June 1746) was a British politician and an ancestor of the Earls Spencer.

Biography

Born the Hon. John Spencer, he was the youngest son of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland and his wife, Lady Anne Churchill. In 1732, he succeeded his cousin, William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford as Member of Parliament (MP) for Woodstock, a seat he held until 1746. He was involved in the foundation of the Foundling Hospital, famously championed by Thomas Coram, William Hogarth and others. Spencer is listed alongside these gentlemen as one of the organisation's founding governors.

In mid-January 1733, Spencer inherited his father's family's estates in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire (including Althorp) and Warwickshire and his grandmother, the Duchess of Marlborough's property, including Wimbledon Park. He was married a month later on 14 February to Georgiana Caroline Carteret (the third daughter and co-heir of Viscount Carteret, later Earl Granville); their only son was John, who was later created Earl Spencer in 1765. Spencer died in 1746, three years after their 8-year-old daughter Diana, and his wife was remarried four years later to the 2nd Earl Cowper. The Althorp estate remains the seat of the earls, but the Wimbledon estate was later sold by the 4th Earl in 1846.

Ancestry

Ancestors of John Spencer (British politician)

16. William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer               8. Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland                       17. Lady Penelope Wriothesley               4. Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland                             18. Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester               9. Lady Dorothy Sidney                       19. Lady Dorothy Percy               2. Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland                                   20. John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol               10. George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol                       21. Beatrice Walcott               5. Lady Anne Digby                             22. Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford               11. Lady Anne Russell                       23. The Hon. Catherine Brydges               1. Hon. John Spencer                                         24. John Churchill               12. Sir Winston Churchill                       25. Sarah Winston               6. John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough                             26. Sir John Drake               13. Elizabeth Drake                       27. Hon. Eleanor Boteler               3. Lady Anne Churchill                                   28. Sir John Jennings               14. Richard Jennings                       29. Alice Spencer               7. Sarah Jennings                             30. Sir Gifford Thornhurst, 1st Baronet               15. Frances Thornhurst                       31. Susanna Temple

References

• R.H. Nichols and F A. Wray, The History of the Foundling Hospital (London: Oxford University Press, 1935), p. 351.