Biography of Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort 1709-1756

On 7th July 1702 [his father] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 18] and Mary Sackville 2nd Duchess Beaufort [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Duchess Beaufort. She the daughter of Charles Sackville 6th Earl Dorset 1st Earl Middlesex [aged 59] and Mary Compton Countess Dorset and Middlesex. They were fourth cousins.

On 26th February 1706 [his father] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 21] and [his mother] Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Duchess Beaufort. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Wriothesley Baptist Noel 2nd Earl Gainsborough and [his grandmother] Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby. They were fourth cousins.

On 12th September 1709 Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort was born to [his father] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 25] and Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort [aged 22]. His mother Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort died from childbirth the next day.

On 14th September 1711 [his father] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 27] and [his step-mother] Mary Osborne Duchess Beaufort [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Duchess Beaufort. She the daughter of Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds [aged 52] and Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds [aged 49]. They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 24th April 1714 [his father] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 30] died. He was buried at St Michael and all Angels Church, Badminton. His son [his brother] Henry [aged 7] succeeded 3rd Duke Beaufort, 5th Marquess Worcester, 9th Earl Worcester, 11th Baron Herbert of Raglan.

On 19th June 1725 Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 15] matriculated University College, Oxford University. He was awarded MA on 16th October 1727.

On 28th June 1729 [his brother] Henry Somerset 3rd Duke Beaufort [aged 22] and [his sister-in-law] Frances Scudamore 3rd Duchess Beaufort [aged 18] were married. He the son of [his father] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort and [his mother] Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort. They were second cousins.

On 17th May 1731 Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 21] was elected MP Monmouthshire at a by-election.

On 1st May 1740 Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 30] and Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 27] were married. He the son of Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort and Rachel Noel Duchess Beaufort.

On 11th March 1741 [his daughter] Anne Somerset Countess Northampton was born to Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 31] and [his wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 28]. She married 13th September 1759 her third cousin once removed Charles Compton 7th Earl of Northampton and had issue.

On 12th March 1742 [his daughter] Elizabeth Somerset was born to Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 32] and [his wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 29].

In 1743 Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 33] was elected MP Monmouth. He was re-elected in 1741.

In March 1743 [his brother] Henry Somerset 3rd Duke Beaufort [aged 35] and [his sister-in-law] Frances Scudamore 3rd Duchess Beaufort [aged 32] were divorced. He sued William Talbot 1st Earl Talbot [aged 32], with whom his wife was having an affair, for damages.

On 16th October 1744 [his son] Henry Somerset 5th Duke Beaufort was born to Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 35] and [his wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 31]. He married 2nd January 1766 his fifth cousin once removed Elizabeth Boscawen Duchess Beaufort and had issue.

On 26th February 1745 Henry Somerset 3rd Duke Beaufort [aged 37] died. He was buried at St Michael and all Angels Church, Badminton. His brother Charles [aged 35] succeeded 4th Duke Beaufort, 6th Marquess Worcester, 10th Earl Worcester, 12th Baron Herbert of Raglan. Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 32] by marriage Duchess Beaufort.

In August 1746 [his daughter] Rachel Somerset was born to Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 36] and [his wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 33]. She died aged less than one years old.

In May 1747 [his daughter] Rachel Somerset died.

In 1748 Thomas Gainsborough [aged 20] and [his niece] Margaret Somerset aka Burr [aged 20] were married. Her father, [his brother] Henry Somerset 3rd Duke Beaufort, had settled a £200 annuity on her. She the daughter of Henry Somerset 3rd Duke Beaufort.

On 26th April 1748 [his daughter] Henrietta Somerset Lady Williams-Wynn was born to Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 38] and [his wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 35]. She married 13th April 1769 Watkin Williams-Wynn 4th Baronet, son of Watkin Williams-Wynn 3rd Baronet and Frances Shackerley Lady Williams-Wynn, and had issue.

On 1st August 1756 [his daughter] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland was born to Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 46] and [his wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 43]. She married 26th December 1775 her half fourth cousin Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland and had issue.

On 28th October 1756 Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort [aged 47] died. He was buried at St Michael and all Angels Church, Badminton. His son Henry [aged 12] succeeded 5th Duke Beaufort, 7th Marquess Worcester, 11th Earl Worcester, 13th Baron Herbert of Raglan.

On 8th April 1799 [his former wife] Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 86] died.