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Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington

1747 – 1786

British politician

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About Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington

Lived 1747 – 1786 (aged 39). Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington was a British politician.

Arms of the Earl of Northington: Quarterly: 1st and 4th: Azure, a lion rampant argent ducally crowned or a bordure of the second charged with eight torteaux (Henley); 2nd and 3rd: Argent, three battering rams proper armed and garnished azure (Bertie). Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington (3 January 1747 – 5 July 1786), was a British politician.

He was born the eldest son of Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington, and educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He succeeded his father to the earldom in 1772, inheriting The Grange, Northington.

He was appointed a Teller of the Exchequer in 1763, a position he held until his death. He was also Clerk of the hanaper for life from 1771.

He was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hampshire on 30 March 1768, and sat until succeeding as 2nd Earl of Northington on 14 January 1772, when he moved to the House of Lords. He was made a Knight of the Thistle on 18 August 1773. In 1783 he served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Fox-North Coalition, being appointed a member of the Privy Council on 30 April. A 1787 portrait by Joshua Reynolds is in the Art Gallery of South Australia.

On his death, unmarried and without a male heir, at the age of thirty-nine, his titles became extinct. His sisters (Lady Bridget Tollemache, Lady Jane Aston, Mary, Dowager Countess Ligonier, and Lady Elizabeth Eden) inherited his estates. They sold The Grange to the Drummond banking family.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
Westminster School, Christ Church
Positions held
Member of the Privy Council of Ireland, Member of the 13th Parliament of Great Britain, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

People in Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington?

British politician (1747-1786)

When was Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington born?

Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington was born on 3 January 1747.

When did Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington die?

Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington died on 5 July 1786 in Paris.

What was Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington's occupation?

Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington was a politician.

What nationality was Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington?

Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington

· Wikidata: Q7345403

· DBpedia: Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington. https://biography.guide/robert-henley-2nd-earl-of-northington/

MLA: "Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-henley-2nd-earl-of-northington/.

Chicago: "Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-henley-2nd-earl-of-northington/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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