George Finch-Hatton (MP for Rochester)

Finch-Hatton was born on 30 June 1747 and the son of Hon. Edward Finch-Hatton, youngest son of Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea and 2nd Earl of Nottingham, and his wife Anne Palmer, daughter of Sir Thomas Palmer, 4th Baronet, of Wingham.[2] He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ's College, Cambridge, being awarded a Master of Arts degree in 1768. He assumed the additional surname of Hatton (his paternal grandmother's name) together with his father in 1764.[3]

He succeeded his Uncle Daniel, 8th Earl of Winchilsea to Eastwell Park and various Kentish properties in 1769 and his father to Kirby Hall, near Gretton in Northamptonshire in 1771.

44 Berkeley Square, home of Lady Isabella Finch unaltered throughout the centuries.

He also inherited 44 Berkeley Square (now Clermont Club), his aunt Lady Isabella Finch's incredible London home with sweeping staircase which somehow went to his father Edward, which in turned went to him since his father only survive his younger sister by a few months. In 1774, the 27 year old George sold the famous house to Lord Clermont, the acquaintance of her late aunt and her aunt's friend Princess Amelia, therefore the house was again visited by Princess Amelia.[4]

In the same year 1774, George now had surplus from the sale of the house, commissioned Robert Adam to rebuilt Eastwell Park, but each of the designs were declined and eventually the plan when on hold.[5]

George eventually rebuilt the house at Eastwell between 1793 and 1800 to designs by Robert Adam's former draughtsman Joseph Bonomi in Neo-classical style.[6]

Finch-Hatton was elected Member of Parliament for Rochester at a by-election in 1772. He was re-elected to Rochester in contests in 1774 and 1780 but was defeated in at the 1784 general election.[2]

Finch-Hatton was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1776.[7]

In 1809 he was commissioned as Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Ashford Regiment of Local Militia (later the 1st East Kent or Ashford, Oldcastle and Elham Regiment).[8]

Kirby Hall, Corby, Northamptonshire.

Finch-Hatton married Lady Elizabeth Murray (1760–1825), the daughter of David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield (1747–1796), in 1785. They resided at Eastwell Park, Kent. He also had estates at Kirby, Northamptonshire.[3]

Eastwell Park, Ashford, Kent

Jane Austen the author visited George and Lady Elizabeth at their Eastwell Park numerous times, they were neighbour as Jane Austen's older brother Edward Knight resided in Godmersham Park, 4 miles away. George was actually 1st cousin once removed to Elizabeth Bridges, wife of Edward Austen Knight. In her letters to her sister Cassandra, Austen seemed to have feelings for George's younger Brother Edward Finch-Hatton.

"Eastwell was very agreeable; I found Ly. Gordon’s

manners as pleasing as they had been described, and

saw nothing to dislike in Sir Janison, excepting once

or twice a sort of sneer at Mrs Anne Finch. . . [The

Misses Finch] were very civil to me, as they always

are; fortune was also very civil to me in placing Mr E.

Hatton by me at dinner."[9]

Finch-Hatton died in February 1823 at the age of 75. His wife died in June 1825, aged 65. Their son George succeeded in the earldoms of Winchilsea and Nottingham in 1826.

Arms of Finch: Argent, a chevron between three griffins passant sable