styled 1697-1710 Visct. Malden; suc. fa. 19 Jan. 1710 (a minor) as 3rd earl of ESSEX.
First sat 11 Nov. 1718; last sat 4 May 1742
b. 1697, s. of Algernon Capell, 2nd earl of Essex, and Mary, da. of Hans Willem Bentinck, earl of Portland. educ. LLD Cambs. 25 Apr. 1728. m. (1) 27 Nov. 1718 Jane (d. 1724), da. of Henry Hyde, 2nd earl of Rochester (later 4th earl of Clarendon), 4da. (2 d.v.p.); (2) 2 or 3 Feb. 1726 Elizabeth (d. 1784), da.of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd duke of Bedford, 2s. (1 d.v.p.), 4da. (2 d.v.p.).1 KT 1725-38; KG 1738. d. 8 or 9 Jan. 1743;2 will 16 May 1740, pr. 26 Jan. 1743.3
Gent. of the bedchamber to George, prince of Wales 1719-27, to George II 1727-d.; envoy, Turin 1731-2, amb. Turin 1732-37; PC 12 Feb. 1735; capt. Yeomen of the guard 4 Dec. 1739-d.4
Ld. lt. Herts. 1722-d.; ranger, St James’s Park 1727-39,5 Hyde Park 1728-39.6
FRS 17 Nov. 1737.
Associated with: St James’s Sq., Westminster7 and Grosvenor Sq., Westminster.8
Likenesses: oil on canvas, attrib. to G. Knapton, c.1735, Watford Museum.
Essex succeeded to the title while probably just short of his thirteenth birthday. Soon after achieving his majority he was appointed to the household of the prince of Wales and in later life he served as a diplomat in Italy. He probably died on 8 or 9 Jan. 1743, though one contemporary newspaper dated 10 Jan. gave his death as having occurred the previous Saturday (5 January).9 He was succeeded in the title by his second son by his second marriage. His career will be considered in detail in the second part of this work.
R.D.E.E.- 1 Collins, Peerage, iii. 484.
- 2 Daily Gazetteer, 10 Jan. 1743.
- 3 TNA, PROB 11/723.
- 4 Daily Gazetteer, 10 Jan. 1743.
- 5 British Journal, 29 July 1727.
- 6 London Evening Post, 27-29 Feb. 1728.
- 7 London Evening Post, 7-10 June 1729.
- 8 Daily Gazetteer, 10 Jan. 1743.
- 9 London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 10 Jan. 1743.