Name William Cavendish Role Politician | Died January 15, 1812 | |
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Parents George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington Children William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, Lord George Cavendish Grandchildren Lord Frederick Cavendish, Lord Edward Cavendish, Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire Cousins William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire Similar People William Cavendish - 7th Duke, Spencer Cavendish - 8th Duke, Lord Frederick Cavendish, William Cavendish - 5th Duke, Georgiana Howard - Countess | ||
Hon. William Cavendish (10 January 1783 – 15 January 1812) was an English nobleman and Whig politician. He was the son of Lord George Cavendish, later Earl of Burlington.
He was educated at Eton College, and Trinity College, Cambridge between 1800-03. He went on a continental grand tour in 1803-04, during which he visited Berlin to see the Prussian Army reviews. Although this was during the period of the Napoleonic Wars, his own military service was at home; he was commissioned Captain in the Derbyshire Militia in 1803, was promoted Major in 1804, and was its Colonel from 1811 until his early death.
He was elected MP for Knaresborough in May 1804, then for Aylesbury in July that year. In the next general election in 1806 he was elected for Derby, which he represented until his death.
He married Louisa O'Callaghan (d. 1863), daughter of Cornelius O'Callaghan, 1st Baron Lismore, on 18 July 1807. They had four children:
(Upon William's accession as Duke of Devonshire in 1858, his siblings were granted precedence of the children of a duke by Royal Warrant.)
William predeceased his father, aged 29; in January 1812 he was accidentally killed when he was flung from his curricle driving in Holker Park on his way back from a shooting excursion. His father was subsequently created Earl of Burlington in 1831, a title which passed to William's son William, who also succeeded as Duke of Devonshire.