Biography of Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury 1729-1814

On 15th May 1707 [his father] George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan (age 21) and [his mother] Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan (age 18) were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She by marriage Countess Cardigan. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Bruce 3rd Earl Elgin 2nd Earl Ailesbury (age 51) and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Seymour Countess Elgin and Ailesbury. They were half fourth cousin once removed.

On 30th April 1729 Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury was born to [his father] George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan (age 43) and [his mother] Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan (age 40).

On 7th July 1730 [his brother] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 17) and [his sister-in-law] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu (age 19) were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 40) and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 40). He the son of [his father] George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan (age 44) and [his mother] Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan (age 41). They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 5th July 1732 [his father] George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan (age 46) died. His son [his brother] George (age 19) succeeded 4th Earl Cardigan, 4th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire. [his sister-in-law] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu (age 21) by marriage Countess Cardigan.

In 1745 [his mother] Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan (age 56) died.

On 17th April 1746 [his uncle] Charles Bruce 4th Earl Elgin 3rd Earl Ailesbury (age 63) was created 1st Baron Bruce of Tottenham in Wiltshire with a special remainder to his nephew Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 16).

On 10th February 1747 [his uncle] Charles Bruce 4th Earl Elgin 3rd Earl Ailesbury (age 64) died. Earl Ailesbury, Viscount Bruce of Ampthill in Bedfordshire, Baron Bruce of Skelton in Yorkshire, Baron Bruce of Whorlton in Yorkshire extinct.

Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 17) succeeded 2nd Baron Bruce of Tottenham in Wiltshire.

Charles Bruce 9th Earl Kincardine 5th Earl Elgin (age 14) succeeded 5th Earl Elgin.

On 6th July 1749 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 59) died without surviving male issue. Duke Montagu extinct. His estates were inherited by his daughter [his sister-in-law] Mary (age 38) and her husband [his brother] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 36) who changed his name to Montagu from Brudenell. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac (age 46). Erected by his widow, Mary Churchill (age 59), the daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, who stands at the left hand side of the monument.

In 1758 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 32) was appointed Master of the Robes.

In 1760 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 34) was appointed Keeper of the Privy Purse.

In 1760 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 34) and [his sister-in-law] Anne Legge Baroness Brudenell Deene were married. He the son of [his father] George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and [his mother] Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan. They were half fourth cousin once removed.

On 17th February 1761 Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 31) and Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury (age 28) were married. She by marriage Countess Ailesbury. He the son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan.

In 1762 [his daughter] George Brudenell was born to Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 32) and [his wife] Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury (age 29).

In 1765 [his daughter] Frances Elizabeth Brudenell was born to Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 35) and [his wife] Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury (age 32).

On 5th November 1766 [his brother] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 54) was created 1st Duke Montagu. [his sister-in-law] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu (age 55) by marriage Duchess Montagu. He was the son-in-law of the last Duke of the previous creation John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu.

In 1767 [his daughter] Charles Brudenell was born to Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 37) and [his wife] Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury (age 34). She died aged one in 1768.

In 1768 [his daughter] Charles Brudenell (age 1) died.

On 14th February 1773 [his son] Charles Brudenell 1st Marquess Ailesbury was born to Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 43) and [his wife] Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury (age 40). He married (1) 10th April 1793 Henrietta Maria Hill, daughter of Noel Hill 1st Baron Berwick and Anna Vernon, and had issue (2) 20th August 1833 Maria Elizabeth Tollemache Marchioness Ailesbury.

In June 1776 Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 47) was created 1st Earl Ailesbury. [his future wife] Anne Elizabeth Rawdon Countess Ailesbury (age 23) by marriage Countess Ailesbury.

In 1780 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 54) was created 1st Baron Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire. [his sister-in-law] Anne Legge Baroness Brudenell Deene by marriage Baroness Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire.

In 1783 [his daughter] George Brudenell (age 21) died.

On 4th February 1783 [his wife] Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury (age 50) died.

In 1786 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 60) and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Waldegrave Countess Cardigan (age 27) were married. She by marriage Baroness Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire. The difference in their ages was 33 years. She the daughter of John Waldegrave 3rd Earl Waldegrave and Elizabeth Leveson-Gower Countess Waldegrave. He the son of [his father] George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and [his mother] Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan. They were half fourth cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 21st August 1786 [his brother] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 74) was created 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.

On 14th February 1788 Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 58) and Anne Elizabeth Rawdon Countess Ailesbury (age 35) were married. The difference in their ages was 23 years. She the daughter of John Rawdon 1st Earl Moira (age 67) and Elizabeth Hastings Countess Moira (age 56). He the son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan. They were fourth cousin twice removed.

On 2nd October 1789 Francis Hastings 10th Earl Huntingdon (age 60) died unmarried at the home of his nephew [his brother-in-law] Francis Rawdon-Hastings 1st Marquess Hastings (age 34). His fifth cousin once removed Theophilus (age 60) de jure 11th Earl Huntingdon although he wasn't aware of the fact. His sister [his mother-in-law] Elizabeth (age 58) succeeded 16th Baroness Botreaux, 15th Baroness Hungerford, 13th Baroness Moleyns and 13th Baroness Hastings

On 23rd May 1790 [his brother] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 77) died. Duke Montagu extinct. His brother [his brother] James (age 65) succeeded 5th Earl Cardigan, 5th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire. [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Waldegrave Countess Cardigan (age 31) by marriage Countess Cardigan. His grandson Henry (age 13) succeeded 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.

In 1791 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 65) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.

On 10th April 1793 [his son] Charles Brudenell 1st Marquess Ailesbury (age 20) and [his daughter-in-law] Henrietta Maria Hill were married in Florence, Tuscany. He the son of Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 63) and [his former wife] Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury.

On 20th June 1793 [his father-in-law] John Rawdon 1st Earl Moira (age 73) died. His son [his brother-in-law] Francis (age 38) succeeded 2nd Earl Moira.

On 12th July 1804 [his brother-in-law] Francis Rawdon-Hastings 1st Marquess Hastings (age 49) and Flora Mure-Campbell Marchioness of Hastings (age 24) were married. The difference in their ages was 25 years. She the daughter of James Mure-Campbell 5th Earl Loudon. He the son of [his father-in-law] John Rawdon 1st Earl Moira and [his mother-in-law] Elizabeth Hastings Countess Moira (age 73).

On 11th April 1808 [his mother-in-law] Elizabeth Hastings Countess Moira (age 77) died. Her son [his brother-in-law] Francis (age 53) succeeded 17th Baron Botreaux, 16th Baron Hungerford, 14th Baron Moleyns and 14th Baron Hastings.

On 24th February 1811 [his brother] James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 85) died at Grosvenor Square, Belgravia. His nephew Robert (age 41) succeeded 6th Earl Cardigan, 6th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire, 2nd Baron Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire. Penelope Cooke Countess Cardigan (age 41) by marriage Countess Cardigan.

In 1812 [his brother-in-law] Francis Rawdon-Hastings 1st Marquess Hastings (age 57) was appointed 638th Knight of the Garter by King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland (age 49) during the Regency.

On 8th January 1813 [his wife] Anne Elizabeth Rawdon Countess Ailesbury (age 60) died.

On 19th April 1814 Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury (age 84) died at Seymour Place. His son Charles (age 41) succeeded 2nd Earl Ailesbury, 3rd Baron Bruce of Tottenham in Wiltshire.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. The wicked Countess and her lover lived at Cliveden [Map] - "the bower of wanton Shrewsbury and of love" - and her spirit is supposed to haunt the beautiful riverside retreat, but I am thankful to say she has never appeared in the old home of her innocent girlhood. Her portrait by Sir Peter Lely hangs in the White Hall at Deene, and is a fine example of the artist's well-known very décolleté style of "robes loosely flowing, hair as free", with the usual mise en scène of a beauty of Charles II's time. The [his father] third Earl of Cardigan was Master of the Buckhounds to Queen Anne; he married a [his mother] daughter of the [his grandfather] Earl of Ailesbury, and their fourth son inherited the Ailesbury title and estates. Lord Cardigan's [his brother] eldest son married the [his former sister-in-law] heiress of the Duke of Montagu in 1766¹. He was a friend of Horace Walpole, the influence of whose pseudo-Gothic tastes may still be seen in the south front of Deene [Map], built at this time, and which now incorporates the great ball-room built for me by my dear husband.

Note 1. Married on 7th July 1730. He was created Duke in 1766.

[his daughter] Caroline Anne Brudenell was born to Thomas Brudenell 1st Earl Ailesbury and Susanna Hoare Countess Ailesbury.