John Hervey
John Hervey, born in October 1696, was the son of John Hervey, the First Earl of Bristol, and Elizabeth Felton. Known as "Lord Hervey" from birth, he never obtained an earldom as his father outlived him. After receiving his education at Westminster and Clare Hall, Cambridge, where he earned an M.A. in 1715, he was sent to Paris and Hanover to pay court to King George I. Hervey married Mary Lepell, a lady-in-waiting to the princess of Wales, in 1720. His life was marked by notable rivalries, particularly with Frederick, Prince of Wales, stemming from a personal feud, and with William Pulteney, which culminated in a duel. Hervey was elevated to the House of Lords in 1733 and later served as Lord of the Privy Seal until his dismissal in 1742, amid personal health struggles. He continued to contribute intellectually despite his ailments, passing away in 1743, eight years before his father, leaving behind three sons who eventually received the title of earl.
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John Hervey
Politician
- Born: October 16, 1696
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: August 5, 1743
Biography
John Hervey was born to John Hervey the First, Earl of Bristol, and Elizabeth Felton in October of 1696. He was known as “Lord Hervey” since his birth, but he never acquired earldom, as his father outlived him. He was educated at Westminster and Clare Hall, Cambridge, before receiving an M.A. degree in 1715. The following year, Hervey was sent by his father to Paris, and then Hanover, to pay court to King George I. Afterward, he became a frequent visitor to the court of the prince and princess of Wales in Richmond, and he married Mary Lepell, one of the princess’s ladies-in-waiting, in 1720.
Over the course of the next few years, a feud developed between Hervey and Fredrick, Prince of Wales, who had been close friends. This quarrel is believed to be over the favor of Anne Vane. He also developed a grudge with William Pulteney, who would become Earl of Bath. This rivalry apparently developed over a hostile paper that Pulteney assumed Hervey wrote. Pulteney retorted with a paper of his own, and the fight between the two led to a duel, in which Hervey was almost killed.
In 1733, Hervey was called to the House of Lords in virtue of his father’s barony. He served in the House of Lords until 1740, when he was appointed the position of Lord of the Privy Seal. In 1742, though, he was dismissed from office, at the same time as the fall of one of his close friends, Sir Robert Walpole. At this time, Hervey was ill, his body weak with epilepsy. Even though his body was in poor condition, he continued to prove himself of strong mind, with papers such as Miscellaneous Thoughts on the Present Posture of Foreign and Domestic Affairs. He died in 1743, eight years before his father. Although Hervey himself never reached the title of earl, the three sons he had with Mary Lepell each acquired the title.