Matthew Montagu, 4th Baron Rokeby

Matthew Montagu, 4th Baron Rokeby (23 November 1762 – Montagu House, Portman Square, 1 September 1831), FRS, known as Matthew Robinson until 1776, was a British Member of Parliament, and briefly a baronet and Peer of the Realm.

Background

Montagu was born Matthew Robinson, the son of Morris Robinson of the Six Clerks' Office, Chancery Lane, and nephew of Matthew Robinson, 2nd Baron Rokeby.

He was the favoured nephew of Elizabeth (Robinson) Montagu, at whose request he took the name of Montagu in 1776 by Royal Licence in advance of inheriting her estate at Sandleford Priory in Berkshire and elsewhere. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge.

A "faithful follower of Pitt", Montagu represented the Cornish constituencies of Bossiney (1786–1790) and Tregony (1790–1795) in the Parliament of Great Britain; and St Germans (1806–1812) in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.[1]

He succeeded his brother in 1829 as 4th Baron Rokeby in the Irish peerage.

Matthew Montagu, William Wilberforce, and Sandleford

Montagu was a friend and supporter of William Wilberforce, and thus favoured the abolition of the slave trade.[2] Wilberforce stayed at Sandleford from 27th to the 28th of July, 1789:

27th. Set off for Bath and reached Sandleford. The old lady [Elizabeth Montagu] wonderfully spirited, are all very kind in their reception. 28th. Almost compelled to stay with the Montagus all day. Mrs. Montagu senior has many fine, and great, and amiable qualities. Young Montagu all gratitude and respect and affection to her and of most upright and pure intentions.[3]

Wilberforce was at Sandleford one night in July 1791:

Monday 28 July. Off betimes on Sierra Leone business-reached Sandleford (M. Montagu's) in the evening. Dr. Beattie was already arrived.[4]

Fellow of the Royal Society

Montagu was elected a fellow in 1795. His proposers were Arden, Lucas Pepys, J. Rennell, John Sinclair, G. Shuckburgh Evelyn, William Marsden, George, 16th Earl of Morton, Pat Russell, George Atwood, John Henniker Major, and C. F. Greville.[5]

Personal life
Sandleford Priory (west front). Montagu inherited the lease from his renowned aunt.

He married on 9 July 1785, Elizabeth (died 7 March 1817), daughter and heir of Francis Charlton of Kent, who bore him six sons, including Henry Robinson-Montagu, 6th Baron Rokeby and Spencer Dudley Montagu, and seven daughters; Caroline married William Godolphin Osborne, son of Francis Osborne, 1st Baron Godolphin, Jane married politician Henry Goulburn, Mary married Colonel Robert Ellison, of the Grenadier Guards, and Eleanor married politician John-Nicholas Fazakerley.

Notes
  1. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790, edited by Lewis Namier, John Brooke, 1964.
  2. R. G. Thorne in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790–1820, edited by R. G. Thorne, 1986.
  3. The life of William Wilberforce, by Robert Isaac and Samuel Wilberforce, 1839, page 236.
  4. The life of William Wilberforce, by Robert Isaac and Samuel Wilberforce, 1839, page 306.
  5. Royal Society archive, https://collections.royalsociety.org/DServe.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=29&dsqSearch=%28%28text%29%3D%27montagu%27%29

References
  • Brooke, John (1964). "MONTAGU, Matthew (1762–1831), of Manchester Sq., London". In Namier, Sir Lewis; Brooke, John (eds.). The House of Commons 1754-1790. The History of Parliament Trust.
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