Biography of John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby 1648-1721

Before 7th April 1648 [his father] Edmund Sheffield 2nd Earl Mulgrave [aged 36] and [his mother] Elizabeth Cranfield Countess Mulgrave [aged 40] were married. She by marriage Countess Mulgrave. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl Middlesex and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Sheppard.

On 7th April 1648 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby was born to [his father] Edmund Sheffield 2nd Earl Mulgrave [aged 36] and [his mother] Elizabeth Cranfield Countess Mulgrave [aged 40].

On 24th August 1658 [his father] Edmund Sheffield 2nd Earl Mulgrave [aged 46] died. His son John [aged 10] succeeded 3rd Earl Mulgrave, 5th Baron Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire.

After 24th August 1658 [his step-father] John Bennet 1st Baron Ossulston [aged 42] and [his mother] Elizabeth Cranfield Countess Mulgrave [aged 50] were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl Middlesex and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Sheppard.

On 28th July 1667 Abraham Cowley [aged 49] died in Porch House. He was buried in Westminster Abbey [Map] where John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 19] subsequently commissioned a monument.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th October 1672. Dr. Thistlethwaite preached at Whitehall on Rev. v. 2, - a young, but good preacher. I received the blessed Communion, Dr. Blandford [aged 56], Bishop of Worcester, and Dean of the Chapel, officiating. Dined at my Lord Clifford's [aged 42], with Lord Mulgrave [aged 24], Sir Gilbert Talbot [aged 41], and Sir Robert Holmes [aged 50].

In 1674 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 25] was appointed 479th Knight of the Garter by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 43].

John Evelyn's Diary. 19th September 1679. My Lord Sunderland [aged 38], one of the principal Secretaries of State, invited me to dinner, where was the King's [aged 49] natural son, the Earl of Plymouth [aged 22], the Earl of Shrewsbury [aged 19], Earl of Essex [aged 47], Earl of Mulgrave [aged 31], Mr. Hyde, and Mr. Godolphin [aged 34]. After dinner I went to prayers at Eton College [Map], and visited Mr. Henry Godolphin [aged 31], fellow there, and Dr. Craddock.

After 4th July 1681 Edward Conway 1st Earl Conway [aged 58] and [his future wife] Ursula Stawell Countess Mulgrave and Conway were married. She by marriage Countess Conway.

On 18th March 1686 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 37] and Ursula Stawell Countess Mulgrave and Conway were married at the chapel of Littlecote House. She by marriage Countess Mulgrave. He the son of Edmund Sheffield 2nd Earl Mulgrave and Elizabeth Cranfield Countess Mulgrave [aged 78].

On 30th December 1687 Wriothesley Baptist Noel 2nd Earl Gainsborough [aged 26] and [his future wife] Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby were married. He the son of Edward Noel 1st Earl Gainsborough [aged 46] and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Gainsborough [aged 41].

In January 1689 Edward Noel 1st Earl Gainsborough [aged 48] died. His son Wriothesley [aged 28] succeeded 2nd Earl Gainsborough, 5th Viscount Campden, 5th Baron Hicks of Ilmington in Warwickshire. [his future wife] Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby by marriage Countess Gainsborough.

In 1692 [his daughter] Mary Sheffield Baroness Altham was born to John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 43] and [his wife] Ursula Stawell Countess Mulgrave and Conway. She married before 15th April 1715 Arthur Annesley 4th Baron Altham, son of Richard Annesley 3rd Baron Altham and Dorothy Davey Baroness Altham, and had issue.

John Evelyn's Diary. 21st June 1693. I saw a great auction of pictures in the Banqueting house, Whitehall [Map]. They had been my Lord Melford's [aged 42], now Ambassador from King James [aged 59] at Rome, and engaged to his creditors here. Lord Mulgrave [aged 45] and Sir Edward Seymour [aged 60] came to my house, and desired me to go with them to the sale. Divers more of the great lords, etc., were there, and bought pictures dear enough. There were some very excellent of Vandyke, Rubens, and Bassan. Lord Godolphin [aged 48] bought the picture of the Boys, by Murillo the Spaniard, for 80 guineas, dear enough; my nephew Glanville, the old Earl of Arundel's head by Rubens, for £20. Growing late, I did not stay till all were sold.

John Evelyn's Diary. 18th July 1693. I dined with Lord Mulgrave [aged 45], with the Earl of Devonshire [aged 53], Mr. Hampden [aged 40] (a scholar and fine gentleman), Dr. Davenant, Sir Henry Vane, and others, and saw and admired the Venus of Correggio, which Lord Mulgrave had newly bought of Mr. Daun for £250; one of the best paintings I ever saw.

John Evelyn's Diary. 29th November 1694. I visited the Marquis of Normanby [aged 46], and had much discourse concerning King Charles II. being poisoned. Also concerning the quinquina which the physicians would not give to the King, at a time when, in a dangerous ague, it was the only thing that could cure him (out of envy because it had been brought into vogue by Mr. Tudor, an apothecary), till Dr. Short, to whom the King sent to know his opinion of it privately, he being reputed a Papist (but who was in truth a very honest, good Christian), sent word to the King that it was the only thing which could save his life, and then the King enjoined his physicians to give it to him, which they did and he recovered. Being asked by this Lord why they would not prescribe it, Dr. Lower said it would spoil their practice, or some such expression, and at last confessed it was a remedy fit only for kings. Exception was taken that the late Archbishop did not cause any of his Chaplains to use any office for the sick during his illness.

John Evelyn's Diary. 27th February 1695. The Marquis of Normanby [aged 46] told me King Charles had a design to buy all King Street, and build it nobly, it being the street leading to Westminster. This might have been done for the expense of the Queen's funeral, which was £50,000, against her desire.

On 13th August 1697 [his wife] Ursula Stawell Countess Mulgrave and Conway died.

On 12th March 1699 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 50] and Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby were married at St Clement Danes Church, Westminster [Map]. She by marriage Countess Mulgrave. He the son of Edmund Sheffield 2nd Earl Mulgrave and Elizabeth Cranfield Countess Mulgrave [aged 91]. They were sixth cousins.

In October 1699 James Annesley 3rd Earl Anglesey [aged 25] and [his future wife] Catherine Darnley Duchess Buckingham and Normandby [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess Anglesey. She the illegitmate daughter of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 65] and [his future mother-in-law] Catherine Sedley Countess Dorchester and Portmore [aged 41]. He the son of James Annesley 2nd Earl Anglesey and Elizabeth Manners Countess Anglesey [aged 45]. They were fourth cousin twice removed.

In 1703 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 54] was created 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby. [his wife] Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby by marriage Duchess of Buckingham and Normanby.

Around 1704 Johnathan "The Elder" Richardson [aged 36]. Portrait of John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 55].

On 7th February 1704 [his wife] Catherine Greville Duchess Buckingham and Normandby died.

Around 1705 [his illegitimate daughter] Katherine Sophia Sheffield was born illegitimately to John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 56] and Frances Stewart.

On 16th March 1705 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 56] and Catherine Darnley Duchess Buckingham and Normandby [aged 25] were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She by marriage Duchess of Buckingham and Normanby. The difference in their ages was 31 years. She the illegitmate daughter of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland and Catherine Sedley Countess Dorchester and Portmore [aged 47]. He the son of Edmund Sheffield 2nd Earl Mulgrave and Elizabeth Cranfield Countess Mulgrave [aged 97].

Around 1706 Frances Stewart became the mistress of John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 57].

Around 1706 [his illegitimate son] Charles Herbert Sheffield 1st Baronet was born illegitimately to John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 57] and Frances Stewart.

In 1707 Samuel Masham 1st Baron Masham [aged 28] and Abigail Hill Baroness Masham [aged 37] were married. [his sister-in-law] Queen Anne of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 41] was present. She contributed £2,000 to Abigail's dowry.

Before 15th April 1715 [his son-in-law] Arthur Annesley 4th Baron Altham [aged 26] and Mary Sheffield Baroness Altham [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Baroness Altham. She the daughter of John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 67] and Ursula Stawell Countess Mulgrave and Conway.

On 11th January 1716 [his son] Edmund Sheffield 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Normanby was born to John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 67] and [his wife] Catherine Darnley Duchess Buckingham and Normandby [aged 36]. He a grandson of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 24th February 1721 John Sheffield 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby [aged 72] died. His son Edmund [aged 5] succeeded 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, 4th Earl Mulgrave, 6th Baron Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire.

On 13th March 1743 [his former wife] Catherine Darnley Duchess Buckingham and Normandby [aged 63] died.