Regency Personalities Series-John Genest

Regency Personalities Series

In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency (I include those who were born before 1811 and who died after 1795), today I continue with one of the many period notables.

John Genest
1764 – 15 December 1839

John Genest was the son of John Genest of Dunker’s Hill, Devon. He was educated at Westminster School, entered 9 May 1780 as a pensioner at Trinity College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. 1784 and M.A. 1787. He took holy orders, and was for many years curate of a Lincolnshire village. Subsequently he became private chaplain to the Duke of Ancaster.

Compelled by ill-health to retire, he went to Bath, Somerset for the benefit of the waters. Here he appears to have remained until his death, which took place, after nine years of illness, at his residence in Henry Street, 15 December 1839. He was buried in St. James’s Church.

During his times in Bath he wrote Some Account of the English Stage from the Restoration in 1660 to 1830, Bath, 10 vols. 1832. It is accurate and well-researched.

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Regency Personalities Series-Brownlow Bertie 5th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven

Regency Personalities Series
In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency, today I continue with one of the many period notables.

Brownlow Bertie 5th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven
1 May 1729 – 8 February 1809

Brownlow Bertie

Bertie styled Lord Brownlow Bertie until 1779, was a British peer. He was the son of Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven and Jane Brownlow, and the younger brother of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, and uncle of Robert Bertie the 4th Duke and Priscilla Bertie the 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.

Bertie was Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire from 1761 to 1779, and became Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire in 1779, and invested as Privy Counsellor. On his nephew’s death in 1779, he succeeded him as 5th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven and Marquess of Lindsey and as 8th Earl of Lindsey. (He was 50 at this time, and probably did not expect to succeed as his nephew, the 4th Duke was 23 when he died though had fathered an illegitimate daughter.)

Ancaster married twice. His first wife, whom he married in 1762 in Cork Street in London, was Harriot Pitt who died the next year. She was the daughter of George Morton Pitt, Governor of Madras. His second wife, whom he married in 1769 was Mary Anne Layard.
His first marriage remained childless, while with his second wife he had one daughter:

• Mary Elizabeth Bertie, married to Thomas Charles Colyear, 4th Earl of Portmore
  • She had a son; Brownlow-Charles Colyear who inherited much property from his ducal grandfather but died in 1819 before he could inherit his father’s titles.

The dukedom and the marquessate became extinct on Brownlow’s death, while the earldom passed to his kinsman Albemarle Bertie. The Duke of Ancaster was buried at Swinstead.

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