PIERREPONT, Hon. Charles Herbert (1778-1860).

On the death of his elder brother in 1801 Pierrepont succeeded to his seat unopposed, though there were some complaints about the honour becoming hereditary in the family.See NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. He had served with Nelson in the Mediterranean, but as heir apparent to the title and county Member gave up his naval career. He supported Addington’s administration and in his first known speech, 20 Apr. 1803, defended the Nottingham peace bill on the basis of his experience of the riots of 1802. On 28 Mar. 1804 he put in a word in debate for Lord Hood’s claims for naval reward. He voted against Pitt’s additional force bill in June 1804 and appeared in both majorities against Melville in 1805. Despite this he was listed ‘Pitt’ by the Treasury both in September 1804 and in July 1805. His only speech that session was in support of the parliamentary grant to the naval orphans’ home, 28 May. Nevertheless, unlike his father-in-law, he voted against the Grenville ministry’s repeal of Pitt’s Additional Force Act, 30 Apr. 1806, three weeks after his father had been belted an earl.

Viscount Newark, as he was henceforward styled, supported the Portland ministry, moving the address, 26 June 1807. In August Canning thought of him as a potential under-secretary to him at the Foreign Office, but doubted if he would accept it.Harewood mss, Canning to his wife, 6 Aug. 1807. He spoke and voted against ministers on Lord Burghersh’s military promotion, 24 May 1809. He was in the majority for the address, 23 Jan. 1810, disappointing opposition expectations that he would desert Perceval. He did so by voting in the opposition majority for inquiry into the Scheldt expedition, 26 Jan., but voted with ministers on its conclusion, 30 Mar.Jnl. of Lady Holland, ii. 253; NLI, Richmond mss 73/1745. He had on 29 Jan. opposed Cochrane’s motion critical of a court martial. The Whigs then listed him ‘doubtful’ from their standpoint. He opposed the discharge of the radical Gale Jones and parliamentary reform, 16 Apr., 21 May 1810. His last known vote in that Parliament was with ministers on the Regency, 1 Jan. 1811. On 26 Jan. 1812 he informed Arbuthnot at the Treasury that he was anxious to vote on the Catholic question, but wished to know for certain when it would be debated.T.64/260. Listed a Treasury supporter after his re-election in 1812, he opposed Catholic relief throughout the first session and again in 1816. He complained of the neglect of the Guards in the army estimates, 11 July 1814, but voted with ministers on civil list questions, 14 Apr., 8, 31 May 1815, 6 and 24 May 1816, and in their minority for the property tax, 18 Mar. 1816. He had also been in the minority on the East India ships registry bill, 6 June 1815.

Newark’s succession to the earldom in 1816 ended his family’s 38-year lien on a county seat for Nottinghamshire. He died 27 Oct. 1860.