George Cavendish-Bentinck

Cavendish-Bentinck was born in Westminster, Middlesex, in 1821, the only son of Major-General Lord Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck (1781–1828), fourth son of Prime Minister William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738–1809).[2][3][4] His mother was Mary Lowther (d. 1863), a daughter of William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale (1757–1844),[5] a Tory politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Appleby, Carlisle, Cumberland, and Rutland.[6]

He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge.[7] While at Westminster School,[8] he played for the school's First XI cricket team and faced the MCC for the first time in June 1837, scoring 14 and 13, although his team was defeated by 49 runs,[9] and for a second time in July 1839 when he opened the innings with scores of two and six.[10]

In 1840, Cavendish-Bentinck was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards, but retired in 1841 after only a year. He joined the MCC to play against Oxford University on 11 June 1840 – his debut first-class match. Oxford, despite playing at home, fell to a heavy defeat as the MCC won by seven wickets. Cavendish-Bentinck made 11.[11] His one appearance for Cambridge came in a match against the MCC, on 1 July 1841. Apart from various appearances for the MCC against school sides, Cavendish-Bentinck would play eight other first-class games for the MCC, scoring fifty-three runs in total, including a best of 29 not out.[12] Add to this one match between two invitational teams – a Slow Bowlers XI featuring Bentinck versus a Fast Bowlers XI – and Cavendish-Bentinck played eleven games in total, scoring 66 runs at a low batting average of 5.50.[13][14]

In 1846, he was called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn and became an equity draftsman and conveyancer.

Painting of Mrs. George Augustus Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck and her children by George Frederic Watts

Grave of Cavendish-Bentinck on Brownsea Island

On 14 August 1850, Cavendish-Bentinck married Prudentia Penelope Leslie (d. 1896), the daughter of Col. Charles Powell Leslie II.[1][23] Together, they had two sons and two daughters:[24]

• Christina Anne Jessica Cavendish-Bentinck (d. 1912),[25] who married Sir Tatton Sykes, 5th Baronet (1826–1913), and was the mother of Sir Mark Sykes, 6th Baronet (1879–1919).[26]
• William George Cavendish-Bentinck (1854–1909), who married Elizabeth Livingston (1855–1943), granddaughter of Maturin Livingston (1769–1847), in 1880.[27]
• William George Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck (1856–1948), who was the father of the 8th Duke of Portland, and the 9th Duke of Portland.
• Mary Venetia Cavendish-Bentinck (1861–1948), who married John Arthur James (1853-1917) and was godmother to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.[28]

In 1889, Cavendish-Bentinck was named by rentboy John Saul in his police statement as a client of the infamous male brothel at the heart of the Cleveland Street Scandal.[29]

Cavendish-Bentinck purchased Branksea Castle on Brownsea Island in 1873 and introduced Jersey cows and developed agriculture on the island.[30] He died there in April 1891, aged 69.[31] His wife survived him by five years and died in June 1896.

Notes

Sources

• George Bentinck at CricketArchive (subscription required)
• George Bentinck at ESPNcricinfo
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by George Cavendish-Bentinck

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by George Cavendish-Bentinck
• Picture: Mrs George Augustus Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck and her Children (3 children shown; exhibited 1860), George Frederic Watts (1817–1904) Tate Gallery, London, accessed 16 September 2008
• George Augustus Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck Statesmen, No. 101