William Neville Hart

William Neville Hart
Born	Template:Birth date St James's Palace, London, England
Died	October 23, 1804(1804-10-23) (aged 62) Inveraray Castle, Scotland
Occupation(s)	Banker, politician, diplomat
Years active	1770–1774 (MP)
Known for	Member of Parliament for Stafford, Chamberlain to King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski

William Neville Hart (27 December 1741, St James's Palace, London – 23 October 1804, Inveraray Castle, Scotland) was a prominent British banker, politician, and diplomat. He was born to Denise Gougeon, who served as Under Housekeeper of the King's Household for more than fifty years, and Lewis Augustus Blondeau, who held several royal appointments including Gentleman Usher to King George II. Denise was the sister of Esther Gougeon, married to Daniel Cornelius de Beaufort.

Marriages

Following the death of his father and his mother's subsequent marriage to Sir William Hart Kt., a banker and Sheriff of London, William Neville Blondeau officially adopted the surname Hart by a private act of Parliament on 22 March 1765.

Hart's first marriage was to Elizabeth Hawkins on 7 January 1765. She was the daughter of Sir Cæsar Hawkins, 1st Baronet, who served as serjeant-surgeon to the King and was grandfather to Caesar Hawkins, serjeant-surgeon to Queen Victoria. Elizabeth passed away on 30 October 1766 without leaving any descendants.

His second wife was Elizabeth Aspinwall, daughter of Stanhope Aspinwall—a diplomat stationed in Constantinople and Algiers who acted as Secretary to Earl Harcourt, Ambassador to France at the time of his death in 1771. Elizabeth’s maternal ancestry traced back to Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield.

Career in England

Hart became a partner in the banking firm Blackwell, Hart, Darrell, and Croft located in Pall Mall, London. He secured a seat in the House of Commons representing Stafford on 12 April 1770, apparently without opposition. In 1772, Oxford University awarded him a Doctorate of Civil Law (D.C.L.). Throughout his time in Parliament, Hart delivered seven speeches, notably endorsing the Court’s position on the Royal Marriages Act 1772 and discussing the printer’s case involving Oliver. He chose not to stand for re-election in 1774.

The Continent

After his parliamentary service, Hart embarked on extensive travels across France, Italy, Germany, and northern European courts. In Poland, he held the position of Chamberlain to King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski. On 27 December 1794, he was honored with knighthood in the Order of Saint Stanislaus and also received the Order of the White Eagle from the monarch.

Back in England

Hart returned to England the following year. In October, the Duke of Portland communicated that King George III had granted Hart permission to wear his Polish Orders. Although he was often addressed as Sir William Neville Hart thereafter, the full scope of royal approval remains uncertain. Additionally, he was granted the honor of kissing the hands of King George III and Queen Charlotte. Unfortunately, his detailed Continental travel journals were destroyed in a fire at Roseneath Castle—the Duke of Argyll’s residence—in 1802.

Death

Elizabeth Aspinwall Hart died on 12 October 1783 at Gommerville in Normandy at age 34, reportedly due to fever. Her memorial at the castle of Filières praises her intellect and beauty; a portrait of her is preserved there.

William Neville Hart passed away on 23 October 1804 at Inveraray Castle, property of the Duke of Argyll.

Children and issue

William Neville Hart and Elizabeth Aspinwall had six children: two sons and four daughters:

• William Stanhope Hart, born 17 October 1769 and baptized on 14 November at St James's Church, Piccadilly, died during his father’s lifetime.
• William Neville Hart, born 19 July 1772 and baptized on 12 August at St James's Church, Piccadilly; he served as Captain in the 79th Cameron Highlanders and was father to Reverend Henry Cornelius Hart.
• Elizabeth Hart, born 28 August 1768 and baptized on 28 September at St James's Church; she married Dr John Griffiths, surgeon to Queen Charlotte’s Household (1792–1818). They were parents to George Richard Griffiths and grandparents of George Neville Griffiths M.L.A., who in turn was grandfather to William Charles Wentworth M.P. (1907–2003).
• Louisa Alexandrina Hart, born 20 December 1770 and baptized on 7 January 1771 at St James's Church; she wed Lieutenant–Colonel George Lyon. Their son Captain George Francis Lyon R.N., an Arctic and African explorer, married Lucy Louisa—the daughter of Irish revolutionary Lord Edward Fitzgerald.
• Sophia Hart, born 11 November 1773 and baptized on 13 December; she married Richard Newton Bennett on 14 December 1795.
• Caroline Frances Hart, born 1 February 1775; she married Lieutenant–General Charles Griffiths (born 3 August 1763), younger brother of Dr John Griffiths and foster brother to Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany.

A third son named Francis with Elizabeth Aspinwall died young; he was interred in Gommerville, France on 25 August 1779 aged approximately three years. Parish records identify his father as "Guillaume Nevil' Hart gentilhomme anglois et Cy devant membre du parlement d'angleterre..." with Elisabeth Aspinwall as mother; their religion is listed as Protestant.

References

• Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal: The Isabel of Essex Volume, Detailing the Lineage of Isabel (Plantagenet), Countess of Essex & Eu by Ruvigny and Raineval Staff, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1994; pages 515–516.
• Oxford Journals: Notes and Queries:
  • Blondeau: Gougeon; F.C.H.: 2nd Series VI, 156, 25 December 1858, p. 534
  • Order of St. Stanislaus: Sir William Neville Hart; H.C.Hart; 2nd Series VI, 139, 28 August 1858, pp. 162–163
  • Sir William Neville Hart and his Descendants; Frederick Copland-Griffiths; 10 Series X, 3 October 1908, pp. 263–264
  • Stanhope Aspinwall; Frederick Copland-Griffiths; 10 Series VI, 15 December 1906, pp. 473–474