George Nathaniel Curzon

“ COWPER, FRANCIS THOMAS DE GREY, seventh Earl Cowper (1834–1905) , lord - lieutenant of Ireland, born in Berkeley Square, London, on 11 June 1834, was eldest son of George Augustus Frederick, sixth Earl Cowper, lord-lieutenant of Kent, and of Anne Florence, elder daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Philip, second Earl de Grey and fifth Baron Lucas. Lord Cowper's mother succeeded her father as Baroness Lucas on his death in 1859. Many of his family attained distinction. His father's mother was sister of William, second Viscount Melbourne, and married Viscount Palmerston as her second husband. ”

“ Sir George Elliot, and entered upon a period of domestic and social happiness. Few men possessed greater social gifts or practised them with more unselfish enjoyment.
A liberal in politics, he was made K.G. by Lord Palmerston (5 Aug. 1865) . In 1871 he accepted on the recommendation of Gladstone the household office of captain of the gentlemen-at-arms, coupled with the duty of answering for the board of trade in the House of Lords. These incongruous and rather unsatisfying responsibilities he fulfilled till the end of the session in 1873. ”

“ At a later date, in 1880, the death of his own mother brought him the barony of Lucas, the Craven property in North Lancashire, a fine house in St. James's Square, and the splendid 'chateau' of Wrest in Bedfordshire. In the comparative leisure of this part of his life he also developed the taste for reading which was his main recreation, and along with it a memory which came to be the admiration of his contemporaries. In October 1870 he married Katrine Cecilia, eldest daughter of William Compton, fourth marquis of Northampton, and of Eliza, third daughter of Admiral the Hon. ”