He succeeded his father as seventh Baron Craven in 1791. In 1801 he was created Viscount Uffington, in the County of Berkshire, and Earl of Craven, in the County of York. The earldom was a revival of the title held by his 17th-century kinsman and namesake William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven.[5]
From 1819 until his death in 1825, Lord Craven served as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire and was opposed to Catholic emancipation.[4]
Marriage & issue
In 1807, Craven married Louisa Brunton, a famous actress.[7] Louisa was a daughter of John Brunton, a grocer who later became an actor and manager of the Norwich Theatre. She was one of seven sisters, several were actresses, one, Ann Brunton Merry married the poet and dilettanteRobert Merry.[8][9]
Hon. George Augustus Craven (1810–1836), an Army Officer who married Georgina Smythe (1814-1868), a daughter of Walter Smythe. Georgina's aunt (Walter's sister), Maria, was a longtime companion of George IV before he became king. After Craven's death, Georgina married Edmond, Duc de la Force.[4]
Lord Craven mostly resided at Coombe Abbey, near Coventry in Warwickshire and occasionally at Hamstead Marshall in Berkshire. He is not entirely forgotten – Harriette Wilson begins her famous memoir, "I shall not say why and how I became, at the age of fifteen, the mistress of the Earl of Craven."[10]
He died in July 1825, aged 54, and was succeeded in his titles by his son William.[4]
Coat of arms of William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven
On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Griffin statant wings elevated Ermine beaked and foremembered Or
Escutcheon
Argent a Fess between six Cross Crosslets fitchée Gules
Supporters
On either side a Griffin wings elevated Ermine beaked and foremembered Or
Motto
Virtus in Actione Consistit (Virtue consists in action)
References
^Huberty, Michel; Alain Giraud; F. and B. Magdelaine (1988). L'Allemagne Dynastique Tome V Hohenzollern-Waldeck (in French). France. p. 148. ISBN2-901138-05-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Williams, Kate (2009). England's Mistress: The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton (Large Print ed.). BBC Audiobooks Ltd by arr. with Random House. p. 164. ISBN9781408430781.
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