Name George 2nd | Education Christ Church, Oxford | |
 | ||
Died February 22, 1861, Staffordshire, United Kingdom Spouse Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland (m. 1823) Children Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll Parents George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland, Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland Similar People Elizabeth Campbell - Duchess, George Campbell - 8th Duke, John Campbell - 9th Duke, Georgiana Howard - Countess, Granville Leveson‑Gower - 2nd Earl | ||
George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG (8 August 1786 – 27 February 1861), styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British Whig MP and peer from the Leveson-Gower family.
Contents
- Background
- Travels
- Political career and public offices
- Cricket
- Cultural interests
- Building projects
- Death
- Family
- References
Background
Sutherland-Leveson-Gower was born at Portland Place, London, as the eldest son of George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland and his wife Elizabeth Gordon, de jure Countess of Sutherland.
He was educated at Harrow School from 1798 to 1803, then entered Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1806 and M.A. in 1810. In 1841 he graduated D.C.L. at the same university.
His father died in 1833, only six months after being created Duke of Sutherland by William IV for his support for the Reform Act 1832, and so this new title devolved on his eldest son. His mother, who was 19th Countess of Sutherland in her own right, died in 1839, and so her ancient Scottish title passed to George, who also became 20th Earl of Sutherland. As a result, the two titles were united in the same person until 1963. It was the 2nd Duke who assumed the additional surname of Sutherland, so that his family name became Sutherland-Leveson-Gower.
Travels
Between 1806 and 1808, Earl Gower travelled in Prussia and Russia. During the Prussian campaign against Napoleon's French forces, he spent time at the Prussians' general headquarters.
Political career and public offices
After returning from Europe, Earl Gower entered the Commons as M.P. for the Cornwall rotten borough of St Mawes in 1808. In 1812, he transferred to sit for the Staffordshire borough of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, until 1815, when he stood to become one of the county MPs for Staffordshire, sitting until 1820.
He was also Lord Lieutenant for the County of Sutherland from 1831 until his death, was appointed High Steward of the Borough of Stafford in 1833, and was Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire from 1839-45. He was appointed Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) in 1841.
Cricket
Sutherland was an active first-class cricketer in 1816 when he played for Marylebone Cricket Club and a team organised by E. H. Budd in a total of three matches.
Cultural interests
He was a keen book collector and was one of the founder members of the Roxburghe Club in 1812.
He was a trustee of the National Gallery from 1835 and of the British Museum from 1841 to his death, as well as appointed a Fine Arts Commissioner in 1841.
Building projects
Sutherland was partially deaf and therefore decided not to play a very active part in politics which was the path well worn by his contemporary peers. Instead he expended his energies by spending some of his vast wealth which he inherited from his father on improving his homes. In 1845, he employed Sir Charles Barry to make vast alterations to Dunrobin Castle. Barry transformed the place into the 189-room ducal palace which we see today. In addition to Dunrobin, the Duke also had Barry completely remodel his Staffordshire seat of Trentham Hall, Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire, and the family's London townhouse, Stafford House, which was the most valuable private home in the whole of London.
Death
The Duke died, aged 75, at Trentham Hall in Staffordshire, one of his English mansions, after a period of illness.
Family
Sutherland married Lady Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard (1806 – 27 October 1868), daughter of George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle, on 28 May 1823. They had eleven children, seven daughters and four sons:
A very large proportion of today's aristocracy are descended from the 2nd Duke of Sutherland. Through the marriages of his daughters, he is the ancestor of the present Dukes of Hamilton & Brandon, Argyll, Northumberland, Leinster, and Westminster, the present Marquesses of Hertford and Londonderry, the present earls of Selkirk, Lichfield and Cromartie, and the present Viscount Dilhorne, among many others. The heir to the present Duke of Roxburghe is also descended from him. His male line died out on the death of his great-grandson, the 5th Duke in 1963, and the title passed to John Egerton, a descendant of the 2nd Duke's brother Francis who was not descended from the 2nd Duke (although his wife, Diana, was). The present Countess of Sutherland is a direct descendant of the 2nd Duke. He was also the ancestor of the late Duchess of Beaufort, but not of the present Duke of Beaufort. Other notable descendants include the naturalist Gavin Maxwell and the spymaster Eliza Manningham-Buller.