Stanhope Aspinwall

Who was Stanhope Aspinwall?

Stanhope Aspinwall was a British diplomat. He was born to Richard Aspinwall and his wife Elizabeth Stanhope, the great granddaughter of Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield, the granddaughter of Arthur Stanhope and daughter of Charles Stanhope.

Stanhope Aspinwall was educated at Westminster School from 1722 until at least 1725.

From 1742 until 1747, Stanhope Aspinwall was stationed at Constantinople in the British Embassy to the Ottoman Empire. In his will dated 14 April 1747, he describes himself as 'Chancellor and Secretary of the British Embassy at Constantinople'. Before that he had been Chargé d'affaires, until February 1747.

On 8 August 1752, George II appointed Stanhope Aspinwall as his agent and consul general to Algiers. His last appointment was as secretary to Simon Harcourt, 1st Earl Harcourt, Ambassador to France, which position Aspinwall was holding when he died on 17 January 1771.

Stanhope Aspinwall’s will dated 14 April 1747 shows that he was married to ‘Magdalena’ and that he then had two children. One of them Elizabeth later married Sir William Neville Hart. Two daughters Cecilia Frances and Margaret Catherine were baptised at St Marylebone Parish Church in London in 1751 and 1754 respectively, both presumably born after Aspinwall left Constantinople. Magdalena survived him. On 21 May 1771, in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Administration were granted to her.