Charles Bingham, 1st Earl of Lucan

He was the second son of Sir John Bingham, 5th Baronet, and his wife Anne Vesey, daughter of Agmondesham Vesey.[2] In 1750, Bingham succeeded his older brother John as baronet.[3]

Bingham was appointed High Sheriff of Mayo in 1756.[4] He was elected as Member of Parliament for both Castlebar and County Mayo in 1761, and chose to sit for the latter.[5] He was returned to the Irish House of Commons until 1776,[5] when he was elevated to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Lucan, of Castlebar in the County of Mayo.[6] As his title enabled him only to take a seat in the Irish House of Lords, Bingham was not restricted from entering the British House of Commons for Northampton in 1782, representing it until two years later.[7] In 1795, Bingham was further ennobled in the Peerage of Ireland as Earl of Lucan, of Castlebar in the County of Mayo.[8]

His daughter Anne by Joshua Reynolds, 1786

On 25 August 1760, he married Margaret Smith, daughter of Sir James Smith, at Bath, Somerset,[4] and by her he had four daughters and a son,[2] among which:

• Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan;
• Lady Lavinia Bingham, who married The 2nd Earl Spencer;
• Lady Anne Bingham
• Lady Margaret Lindsey; her daughter was Margaret Grey Porter
• John A. Bingham

Lord Lucan died, aged 63, at Charles Street, Mayfair, London, and was succeeded in his titles by his only son Richard.[9]