Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington

Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington PC
Arms of Vane: Azure, three sinister gauntlets (appaumée) or These are a difference of the arms of the Fane family, Earls of Westmorland from 1624, which show: three dexter gauntlets back affrontée, with identical tinctures
Member of the Great Britain Parliament for Launceston
In office 1726–1727 Serving with John Freind
Preceded by	John Willes John Freind
Succeeded by	John King Arthur Tremayne
Member of the Great Britain Parliament for St Mawes
In office 1727–1741 Serving with John Knight 1727–1728 William East 1728–1734 Richard Plumer 1734–1741
Preceded by	Sidney Godolphin Samuel Molyneux
Succeeded by	Robert Nugent James Douglas
Member of the Great Britain Parliament for Ripon
In office 1741–1747 Serving with William Aislabie
Preceded by	William Aislabie Thomas Duncombe
Succeeded by	William Aislabie Sir Charles Vernon
Member of the Great Britain Parliament for County Durham
In office 1747–1753 Serving with George Bowes
Preceded by	John Hedworth George Bowes
Succeeded by	George Bowes The Hon. Henry Vane
Personal details
Born	c. 1705
Died	(1758-03-06)6 March 1758
Political party	Whig
Spouse	Lady Grace Fitzroy
Children	7, including: Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington Lady Anne Vane Frederick Vane Raby Vane

Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington, PC (c. 1705 – 6 March 1758), known as Lord Barnard between 1753 and 1754, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1726 to 1753 when he succeeded to a peerage as Baron Barnard.

Life

Vane was the eldest son of Gilbert Vane, 2nd Baron Barnard, of Raby Castle, Staindrop, county Durham, and his wife, Mary Randyll, daughter of Morgan Randyll of Chilworth, Surrey. His sister Anne Vane was a mistress to Frederick, Prince of Wales. He was educated privately. He married Lady Grace Fitzroy, daughter of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, on 2 September 1725.

Career

The south front of Raby Castle

Vane contested County Durham as a Whig on his family's interest at the 1722 British general election, but was unsuccessful. He was brought in by the ministry as Member of Parliament for Launceston at a by-election on 31 May 1726. At the 1727 British general election he planned to stand for county Durham, but stood down to avoid splitting the Whig vote, and the ministry found him another seat at St Mawes where he was returned as MP unopposed. He went into opposition, and attached himself to his wife's first cousin William Pulteney. He never spoke in the House, which was said to be because of 'a monstrous tongue which lolled out of his mouth'. He was returned again in a contest for St Mawes at the 1734 British general election, on the Boscawen interest, and, at the 1741 British general election, was returned unopposed as MP for Ripon on the Aislabie interest.

After Walpole's fall in 1742, Pulteney procured for Vane a lucrative sinecure as Vice-Treasurer and Paymaster General of Ireland and he also became a Privy Counsellor (Ireland) in 1742. Vane lost his Irish post when Pulteney and his adherents were turned out in December 1744. He was finally returned for county Durham at the 1747 British general election as a government supporter. He became a follower of his kinsman, the Duke of Newcastle, cultivating him so assiduously that in 1749 he was appointed a Lord of the Treasury which he retained to 1755. On 27 April 1753 he succeeded to the peerage as 3rd Baron Barnard on the death of his father and became Lord Lieutenant of Durham from 1753 to 1758. He was rewarded by Newcastle with an earldom, as 1st Earl of Darlington and 1st Viscount Barnard on 3 April 1754 and held the post of Joint Paymaster of the Forces between 1755 and 1756.

Death and legacy

Vane died on 6 March 1758. He was succeeded in his titles by his son Henry. With his wife Grace, he had seven children:

1. Lady Mary Vane
2. Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington, (1726 – 8 Sep 1792)
3. Lady Anne Vane, a botanist (25 June 1726 – 18 February 1776)
4. Hon. Frederick Vane, b. 26 June 1732
5. Hon. Charles Vane
6. Hon. Raby Vane (2 January 1736 – 23 October 1769)
7. Lady Harriet Vane (27 January 1739 – January 1759)

External links

• "Archival material relating to Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington". UK National Archives.