Untitled

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 34, 7 May 1881, Page 361

The grandson of this Avorthy, the fourth Earl, had an honourable part in the Revolution of 1688, ancl raised a body of cavalry in Huntingdonshire in support of William of Orange, by Avhose side he fought at Limerick and the passage of the Boyne. He subsequently represented England at several of the Courts of Europe, and at the accession of George I. he Avas created Duke of Manchester. There is little to be said about the first four Dukes of Manchester; save that they successively discharged the onerous duties of Lord of the Bedchamber, the great house having apparently gone permanently to sleep after obtaining the Dukedom. The fourth Duke, it may be added, held in addition the equally responsible post of Master of the Horse. In the positions of Head Valet and _ Head Groom they could probably do little mischief beyond drawing their pay. The fifth Duke Avas someAvhat more ambitious. He became Governor of Jamaica at a salary of about £14,000 per annum, and on his retirement obtained an annual pension of £2000. He Avas afterwards Postmaster-General from IS2B to 1830. He Avas also for many years Collector of the Customs for the Port of London, the duties of Avhich office Avere of course performed by subordinates. This office appears to have been given in perpetuity by Charles 11. to a member of another branch of the family for his sendees in promoting the Restoration ; for the Monks and Montagus of that period Avere not a whit better than the St. Arnauds and Mornys of the Coup d'Etat of 1851. By an Act passed in the reign of George 111. it Avas recited that the previous Duke of Manchester and his brother held the office under a promise of a reneAved patent, and that the office should be held during the life of this Duke and his brother, the Treasury to nominate a deputy to perform all the duties of the office. There is some little uncertainty about the matter. Burke and other authorities credit this Duke Avith holding the oflice, but I find in 1830 the Dowager Duchess receiving an annual compensation allowance of

£2928 for loss of the office of Collector of Customs OutAvards, formerly held by the late Duke of Manchester. A few years more or less, after all, makes but little difference. In any case it Avas a monstrous job. What is certain is that for a number of years the Montagues received about £3000 per annum to help them to keep up their dignity. It should not he omitted, also, that at the same time tAvo other Montagus Avere proA'ided Avith fat places m the Stamp Office at salaries of betAveen one and tAvo thousand a year each. A few years afterwards the Duke of Manchester and his relatives Avere dividing among them in pensions and places someAvhat over £11,000 per annum.