George Lamb (politician)

The Hon. George Lamb MP (11 July 1784 – 2 January 1834)[1] was a British politician and writer.[2]

The youngest son of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne, and his wife Elizabeth, and the brother of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, Frederick Lamb, 3rd Viscount Melbourne, and Emily Lamb, Countess Cowper, he was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated MA in 1805.[3]

However, due to his mother's numerous of love affairs, George's true paternity is a matter of debate.[4] It is widely rumored that George's biological father is George the IV, the Prince of Wales.[5][6] George IV acted as George Lamb's godfather.[7]

On 17 May 1809, he married Caroline Rosalie Adelaide St. Jules, the illegitimate daughter of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, by his mistress (and eventual second wife) Lady Elizabeth Foster. In 1805 his brother William had married Caroline's cousin Lady Caroline Ponsonby, whose affair with the poet Lord Byron led her to describe him as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know".

The Lambs had no children and it was speculated that the marriage was never consummated.[8][9] George would neglect Caroline St. Jules by retiring to bed early to avoid sleeping with his wife.[10] George, also, found his wife, Caroline St. Jules, to a be distraction from his theatre/literary career.[11] Their marriage was almost in shambles because, in 1816, Caroline St. Jules had an affair with Henry Brougham.[12][13] In addition, Caroline St. Jules felt trapped in a marriage where her husband was neglectful and a drunk.[14]

Caroline St. Jules would confess about her martial problems to her mother, Lady Elizabeth Foster.[15] Lady Elizabeth Foster saw the worst in Caroline St. Jules’ and George Lamb's marital problems.[16] Lady Elizabeth Foster was so disappointed by George's treatment of Caroline St. Jules that Lady Elizabeth Foster refer George Lamb to be "some kind of monster."[17]

Yet, Caroline St. Jules and George Lamb's marriage seem to worked out as time went on.[18] Eventually, Caroline St. Jules and Henry Brougham ended their affair.[19] Caroline St. Jules reconciled with George Lamb, and they stayed together until George Lamb’s death in 1834.[20] Even though Caroline St. Jules outlived George Lamb by almost 28 years, Caroline St. Jules never remarried.[21][22] Caroline St. Jules died in 1862.[23][24]

He became a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, and was Member of Parliament for Westminster from March 1819 to March 1820, and for Dungarvan from 1822 until his death. He served in Earl Grey's administration as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department from 1830 until his death.

His comic opera Whistle for it was produced in 1807, and his adaptations of Timon of Athens in 1816. His most important work, a translation of the poems of Catullus, was published in 1821.