Pitt, George, 1st Baron Rivers, of Stratfield Saye (1721 -1803)

George Pitt was the eldest son of George Pitt, of Stratfield Saye in Hampshire, and Louisa, daughter of John Bernier. He was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he matriculated 26 September 1737, receiving an M.A. 13 March 1739, and D.C.L. 21 August 1745. At a by election in June 1742, he was elected Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury, and in December the same year for both Shaftesbury and Dorset. He chose to sit for the county, and held the seat until 1774. He married, 4 January 1746, Penelope, daughter of Sir Henry Atkins, Baronet of Clapham in Surrey, and they had one son and three daughters. Colonel of the Dorset Militia in 1757, and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Turin 1761 1768, Envoy to the Court of Turin 1761 and Ambassador to Spain 1770 1771, he was created Baron Rivers of Stratfield Saye 20 May 1776, and Baron Rivers of Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire with a special remainder to his brother, General Sir William Augustus Pitt, and then to the male issue of his daughter Louisa Pitt by Peter Beckford of Steppleton in Dorset 16 March 1802. He was succeeded as Baron Rivers of Stratfield Saye by his only son George.