Family and Education

b. 1721, 1st s. of James Hussey of Westown by Catherine, da. of Richard Parsons, 1st Visct. Rosse [I].  m. secretly c.1743, Isabella, da. and coh. of John, 2nd Duke of Montagu, wid. of William, 2nd Duke of Manchester, 1s. 1da. (both d.v.p.).  On d. of his fa.-in-law 1749, took add. name of Montagu.  suc. fa. 1759.  K.B. 27 Aug. 1753; cr. Baron Beaulieu 11 May 1762, Earl of Beaulieu 8 July 1784.

Offices Held

Biography

Edward Montagu lived in the shadow of his proud and wealthy wife: she, daughter and widow of dukes, was determined that her husband’s rank should correspond to her fortune. Montagu was returned for Tiverton at Newcastle’s recommendation, and himself seems never to have applied for a peerage. That was left to his wife, but her success in 1762 was short of what she had hoped: three days before her husband was created a peer, the family title of Montagu was given to the son of her younger sister, Lady Cardigan; and in 1766 the dukedom of Montagu was revived for Lord Cardigan. On this Lord Beaulieu went into opposition and his wife ceased to attend at court.

When in 1776 the Duke of Montagu was to be created Earl of Montagu with remainder to his daughter, Lady Beaulieu protested that she had been promised this title for her husband. But, the King wrote to North on 30 May 1776,

she never had any promise from me, and no other proof can be necessary than her manifest appearances of neglect in never coming to court since the Duke of Montagu was advanced, which conduct has uniformly been followed by her son, and the political part Lord Beaulieu has taken if the others are not proofs sufficient show none of the family placed any hopes on me.

North recollected that he had given such a promise in 1772, but the King would not go back on his word to the Duke of Montagu. The affair blew over when Montagu waived his claim to the earldom.1Beaulieu was created an earl in 1784 by Pitt; even so, the title of Montagu was withheld from him.

He died 25 Nov. 1802.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

• 1. Fortescue, iii. 365-7.