Lot Essay
The arms are those of George, 6th Earl of Chesterfield, the grandson of the author of the celebrated Letters, born in 1805. He succeeded to the Earldom at the age of ten in 1815 and was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. These dinner plates evidently formed part of a suite of silver commissioned for his twenty-first birthday celebrations. He was Lord of the Bedchamber 1828-1830 and in 1830 he married Anne Elizabeth, daughter of Cecil Weld, Lord Forester of Willey. This lady, according to Lady Dorothy Nevill, had the distinction of refusing offers of marriage from two future Prime Ministers, Lord Derby and Benjamin Disraeli.
In his youth, Chesterfield was held one of the most brilliant men of fashion. However, his extravagance led to the intense disapproval of Henry Greville, who wrote in his Memoirs "It makes me sad to see Bretby and the mode of life there: idleness, folly, waste and a constant progress to ruin; a princely fortune dilapidated by sheer indolence, because the obstinate spoiled owner will neither look into his affairs nor let anybody elso look into them. He lies in bed half the day and rises to run after pleasure in whatever shape he can pursue it; abhors business, and has no sense of duty." (September 16, 1846). In later life, Greville failed to temper his scorn of Chesterfield: "A man of fair parts and good instincts, but his education had been neglected, and he had been allowed at a very early age to contract habits of dissipation and extravagance, which ultimately led to the loss of nearly half his large fortune, which, however, he endeavored in his latter years to retrieve by judicious economy. Though rather a spoilt child, he was very much liked by those he associated with." (Diary, June 4, 1866).
Chesterfield was Master of the Buckhounds 1834-1835. He died at Bretby in 1866.
In his youth, Chesterfield was held one of the most brilliant men of fashion. However, his extravagance led to the intense disapproval of Henry Greville, who wrote in his Memoirs "It makes me sad to see Bretby and the mode of life there: idleness, folly, waste and a constant progress to ruin; a princely fortune dilapidated by sheer indolence, because the obstinate spoiled owner will neither look into his affairs nor let anybody elso look into them. He lies in bed half the day and rises to run after pleasure in whatever shape he can pursue it; abhors business, and has no sense of duty." (September 16, 1846). In later life, Greville failed to temper his scorn of Chesterfield: "A man of fair parts and good instincts, but his education had been neglected, and he had been allowed at a very early age to contract habits of dissipation and extravagance, which ultimately led to the loss of nearly half his large fortune, which, however, he endeavored in his latter years to retrieve by judicious economy. Though rather a spoilt child, he was very much liked by those he associated with." (Diary, June 4, 1866).
Chesterfield was Master of the Buckhounds 1834-1835. He died at Bretby in 1866.