George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield

George Lee
Earl of Lichfield
Reign	1716–1742
Predecessor	Edward, 1st Earl of Lichfield
Successor	George, 3rd Earl of Lichfield
Born	12 March 1690
Died	15 February 1743 aged 52
Spouse(s)	Frances Hales
Issue Detail	George Henry & others
Father	Edward, 1st Earl of Lichfield
Mother	Charlotte Fitzroy

George Henry Lee I, 2nd Earl of Lichfield (1690–1743) was a younger son of Edward Henry Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield and his wife Charlotte Fitzroy, an illegitimate daughter of Charles II by his mistress, the celebrated courtesan Barbara Villiers. On 14 July 1716 George Henry Lee succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Lichfield.

Birth and origins

George was born on 12 March 1690 in St. James Park, London. He was one of the ten children and the fourth of the sons of Edward Henry Lee and his wife Charlotte Fitzroy. His father was created Viscount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield just before his marriage. George's mother was a natural daughter of Charles II and Barbara Villiers.

Family tree

George Lee, 2nd Earl, with wife, parents, and other selected relatives. Charles II 1630–1685 Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 Frances Hales d. 1769 Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 Charlotte Lee d. 1794 Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 Legend XXX George Lee XXX Earls of Lichfield XXX Viscounts Dillon Also see the lists of siblings and children in the text.

George listed among his brothers

He appears below among his brothers as the fourth son: Edward Henry (1681–1713), became the colonel of the Royal Regiment of Guards, predeceased his father and never married; James (died 1711), became a captain in the Royal Navy and married Sarah, daughter of John Bagshaw, but the marriage stayed childless and he predeceased his father; Charles (died 1708), predeceased his father and never married; George Henry (died 1742), the subject of this article; Fitzroy Henry Lee (1699–1750), became a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy; and Robert Lee (1706–1776), became the 4th and last Earl.

George's sisters
Charlotte (1678–1721), married Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore; Anne, died young; Elizabeth, married first Colonel Lee and secondly the Reverend Dr. Edward Young; and Barbara, married Sir Charles, 2nd Baronet Browne of Kiddington.

Early life

George became heir apparent and was given the corresponding courtesy title of Viscount Quarendon when his eldest brother, Edward Henry, died in 1713. On 14 July 1716 his father died and he succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Lichfield.

Marriage and children

In about 1717 Lord Lichfield, as he was now, married Frances Hales (died 3 February 1769), daughter of Sir John Hales, 4th Baronet of Hackington, of Woodchurch in Kent.

George and Frances had three sons:

1. George Henry (1718–1772), his successor
2. Edward Henry (died 1742)
3. Charles Henry (died 1740)

—and five daughters:

1. Charlotte, married to Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon
2. Mary, married to Cosmas Neville, Esquire
3. Frances, married Henry Hyde, 5th Baron Hyde
4. Henrietta or Harriet, married to John Bellew, 4th Baron Bellew of Duleek
5. Anne, married to Hugh Clifford, 4th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh

Later life, death, and succession

In 1719 Lord Lichfield was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage. In 1722 he built the Oxfordshire Stately home, Ditchley, designed by James Gibbs. Lichfield was educated at St John's College, Oxford and created a D.C.L. of Oxford on 19 August 1732. On 7 August 1739 he was made Custos Brevium in the Court of Common Pleas, as well as a governor of the Foundling Hospital.

Lichfield died on 15 February 1743 and was buried in Spelsbury. He was succeeded by his son and namesake, George Henry Lee II.

Timeline
Age	Date	Event
0	1690, 12 Mar	Born, in London.
11	1702, 8 Mar	Accession of Queen Anne, succeeding King William III
23	1713	Became heir apparent on his brother's death and gained the courtesy title of Viscount Quarendon.
24	1714, 1 Aug	Accession of King George I, succeeding Queen Anne
26	1716, 14 Jul	Succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Lichfield.
26–27	1717, about	Married Frances Hales.
37	1727, 11 Jun	Accession of King George II, succeeding King George I
52	1743, 15 Feb	Died and was buried at Spelsbury.

See also

• Lee Baronets of Quarendon, Buckinghamshire, 1611–1776.