William Lygon, 1st Earl Beauchamp

Who was William Lygon, 1st Earl Beauchamp?

William Lygon, 1st Earl Beauchamp, known as The Lord Beauchamp between 1806 and 1815, was a British politician.

Lygon was the son of Reginald Lygon, of Madresfield Court, Worcestershire, son of Reginald Pyndar and Margaret Lygon, daughter of William Lygon, of Madresfield Court, a descendant of Richard Lygon, of Madresfield Court, husband of the Honourable Anne Beauchamp, second daughter and co-heiress of Richard Beauchamp, 2nd Baron Beauchamp. His mother was Susanna Hanmer, daughter of William Hanmer, of Bettisfield, Flintshire. His father had assumed the surname of Lygon on succeeding to the Lygon estates of his maternal grandfather. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford.

Lygon was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Worcestershire in 1775, a seat he held until 1806, when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Beauchamp, of Powyk in the County of Worcester. He was further honoured in 1815 when he was made Viscount Elmley, in the County of Gloucester, and Earl Beauchamp.

Lord Beauchamp married Catherine Denn, daughter of James Denn, in 1780. They had several children. He died suddenly at St James's Square, London, in October 1816, aged 69, and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, William. The Countess Beauchamp died in March 1844.