Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester
Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st
Origins
Fox was the eldest surviving son of Sir Stephen Fox (1627-1716), the first Paymaster of the Forces, deemed the "richest commoner in the three kingdoms", by his second wife Christiana Hope. His younger brother was Henry Fox, who was created Baron Holland, of Holland House in Kensington, the father of the Whig statesman Charles James Fox.
Career
He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, then took a Grand Tour. On his father's death in 1716, he inherited (among other estates) Redlynch Park in Somerset, where he improved both the house and gardens. He purchased further land in Wiltshire and Somerset. His father had been appointed to the lucrative post of Paymaster of the Forces under King Charles II, from which post he had made his huge fortune.
In 1726 Fox was elected as a
Private life
Fox was the lover of the diarist and courtier John Hervey (1696–1743) for about ten years, from 1726 to 1736. Many passionate letters between the two survive.[3] Hervey initially favoured Fox's brother, Henry Fox, but when "charmingly rebuffed" paid infatuated court to Fox. Their relationship ended about the time Fox entered into an arranged marriage.
- Marriage and children
In 1735, at the age of 31, Fox agreed to an arranged marriage with the thirteen-year-old
- Lady Susannah Sarah Louisa Fox-Strangways (1 February 1743 – 1827),[5] known as "Susan". She was the childhood object of affection of her first cousin the future Whig statesman Charles James Fox (1749–1806), who in 1760 when a schoolboy at Eton, composed a prize-winning Latin verse describing a pigeon he found to deliver his love-letters to her "to please both Venus its mistress and him".[6] The scenario was captured in a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The young Charles was however very disappointed when in 1764 she eloped with the "unsuccessful" Irish actor William O'Brien. The match caused a scandal in high society, with Horace Walpole commenting: "Even a footman were preferable — the publicity of the hero's profession perpetuates the mortification".[7]
- Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Fox-Strangways (b. 11 March 1744);[8]
- Lady Juliana Judith Fox-Strangways (b. 10 July 1745);[9]
- Henry Thomas Fox-Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester (29 July 1747 – 5 September 1802);[10]
- Lady Lucy Fox-Strangways (15 December 1748 – 16 August 1787),[11] married Colonel Stephen Digby;
- Royal Academy.[14] Their daughter and only surviving child Kitty Acland married Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon(1772–1833).
- Lt.-Col. Stephen Strangways Digby Fox-Strangways (3 December 1751 – 12 March 1836);[15]
- Lady Frances Muriel Fox-Strangways (August 1755 – 5 May 1814), who married Valentine Quin, 1st Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl;
- Rev. Charles Redlynch Fox-Strangways (27 April 1761 – 4 November 1836), who married Jane Haines;
Death and burial
Fox died in September 1776, aged 72, and was succeeded by his son
Fictitious depictions
Stephen Fox appears as "Stephen
Arms
The arms of the head of the Fox-Strangways family are blazoned Quarterly of four: 1st & 4th: Sable, two lions passant paly of six argent and gules (Strangways); 2nd & 3rd: Ermine, on a chevron azure three foxes' heads and necks erased or on a canton of the second a fleur-de-lys of the third (Fox).[2]
References
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2013) |
- ^ "FOX, Stephen (1704-76), of Redlynch, Som". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ a b “Earl of Ilchester” in Montague-Smith, P.W. (ed.), Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage (Kelly's Directories Ltd, Kingston-upon-Thames, 1968), p. 607
- ^ "The Gay Love Letters of John, Lord Hervey to Stephen Fox"; excerpts from My Dear Boy: Gay Love Letters through the Centuries (1998), edited by Rictor Norton, accessed 26 May 2010
- ^ a b Horner, Thomas, historyofparliamentonline.org
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 3 February 1742.
- ^ Lascelles, Edward, The Life of Charles James Fox, London, 1936, p.11
- ^ Lascelles, Edward, The Life of Charles James Fox, London, 1936, p.19
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 14 March 1743 & 15 April 1744.
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 27 July 1745.
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 26 August 1747.
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 18 December 1748.
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 16 January 1749.
- ^ Acland, Anne. A Devon Family: The Story of the Aclands. London / Chichester: Phillimore, 1981, p.29
- ^ Acland, pp.34-6
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 4 December 1751.
External links
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990 [page needed]
- Tillyard, Stella. "Aristocrats: Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox, 1740-1832"
Additional information needed
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