Family and Education

b. 16 Sept. 1751, 1st s. of Nathaniel, 1st Baron Scarsdale. educ. Westminster 1764-7; Ch. Ch. Oxf. 1768. m. (1) 11 Aug. 1777, Hon. Sophia Susanna Noel (d. 28 June 1782), da. of Edward, 1st Visct. Wentworth, 1s. 1da.; (2) 18 Nov. 1798, Felicité Anne Josephe, da. of François Josèphe des Wattines of Hesdin, France, 2s. 3da. suc. fa. as 2nd Lord Scarsdale 5 Dec. 1804.

Offices Held

Biography

Curzon apparently thought of standing at the general election of 1774. The Duchess of Devonshire wrote to Lady Spencer, 9 Oct. 1774: ‘Lord Scarsdale intends to set up Mr. Curzon for the county.’1 But he did not do so, nor did Curzon stand for a seat described as ‘extremely eligible’ and infinitely preferable ‘to a contest for Derbyshire’2 though costing £4,500, which was suggested to him. In February 1775 he was returned unopposed for Derbyshire.

Curzon consistently supported North till the end; voted against Shelburne’s peace preliminaries, 18 Feb. 1783, and for Fox’s East India bill, 27 Nov. 1783. Robinson noted in his survey for the general election of 1784 that Curzon would probably come in again, and that ‘at present may vote con, but on a change, would it is apprehended, be for’; and in Stockdale’s list of 19 Mar. 1784 he appears as a follower of Pitt. There is no record of his having spoken in the House—which confirms the statement of the English Chronicle in 1780 that ‘he gives a silent vote always with the ministry’.

In 1784 Curzon canvassed for re-election, but met with ‘a serious opposition’3 in the county, and apparently withdrew before the poll.

He died 27 Jan. 1837.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Mary M. Drummond

Notes

• 1. Anglo-Saxon Review, i. 226.
• 2. I. H. Browne to N. Curzon, n.d. 1774, Scarsdale mss.
• 3. Ld. Gower to Curzon, 9 Apr. 1784, ibid.