Legge, George, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth (1755 -1810)

George Legge was born 3 October 1755, the eldest son of William, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, and Frances Catherine, only daughter and heir of Sir Charles Gunter Nicoll, Knight of the Bath. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, where he matriculated 22 October 1771, was created M.A. 3 July 1755, and D.C.L. 26 October 1778. He entered the House of Commons as Member for Plymouth 5 June 1778, and represented Staffordshire in the succeeding Parliament, being known by the courtesy title Lord Lewisham. He was appointed Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales 1782, and Lord Warden of the Stannaries 1783. He retired from office with the fall of Fox, and was summoned to the House of Lords, 16 June 1801, in his father's lifetime, in his father's Barony of Dartmouth, but succeeded as Earl on 15 July following. He was made Lord Steward of the Household 15 August 1802, Lord Chamberlain of the King's Household 14 May 1804, and a Knight of the Garter in 1805. He married, 24 September 1782, Frances, daughter of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford. He died 1 November 1810. A select portion of the Library at Portshull House, Wolverhampton was sold by Sotheby's 8 March 1948, this contained part of a remarkable collection of maps largely collected by the 1st Baron Dartmouth (1648 1691). Further maps were sold at Christie's 23 December 1953, and Sotheby's 5 December 1961, and the Dartmouth Hours in a mixed sale at Sotheby's 6 July 1964.