Ronald John McNeill

“ He held the office of lord chancellor longer than any of his predecessors, with a single exception; and the same high authority quoted above asserts that as an equity judge Lord Hardwicke’s fame “has not been exceeded by that of any man in ancient or modern times. ”

“ In 1715 he was called to the bar, where his progress was, says Lord Campbell, “more rapid than that of any other débutant in the annals of our profession,” his advancement being greatly furthered by the patronage of Macclesfield, who became lord chancellor in 1718, when Yorke transferred his practice from the king’s bench to the court of chancery, though he continued to go on the western circuit. ”

“ He was succeeded by his only son Albert Edward Philip Henry Yorke (1867–1904) , 6th earl of Hardwicke, who, after holding the posts of under-secretary of state for India (1900–1902) and for war (1902–1903) , died unmarried on the 29th of November 1904; the title then went to his uncle, John Manners Yorke (1840–1909) , 7th earl of Hardwicke, second son of Charles Philip, the 4th earl, who joined the royal navy and served in the Baltic and in the Crimea (1854–1855) . This earl died on the 13th of March 1909 and was succeeded by his son Charles Alexander (b. 1869) as 8th earl. ”

“ He was excused, on the ground of his personal friendship, from acting for the crown in the impeachment of Macclesfield in 1725, though he did not exert himself to save his patron from disgrace largely brought about by Macclesfield’s partiality for Yorke himself. He soon found a new and still more influential patron in the duke of Newcastle, to whom he henceforth gave his political support. ”

“ He was styled Viscount Royston from 1754 till 1764, when he succeeded to the earldom. In politics he supported the Rockingham Whigs. He held the office of teller of the exchequer, and was lord-lieutenant of Cambridgeshire and high steward of Cambridge University. ”