Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne

'' by James Northcote, 1784 Elizabeth Milbanke was baptised on 15 October 1751, in the village of Croft-on-Tees, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. She was the youngest child and only daughter of Sir Ralph Milbanke, 5th Baronet, and his wife, Elizabeth (née Hedworth). She had two brothers, with the eldest being Ralph Noel—future Foxite Whig politician and 6th Baronet. The family resided at Halnaby Hall, Yorkshire. Elizabeth's father was a politician and her maternal grandfather was John Hedworth, a Member of Parliament for County Durham. Elizabeth was privately educated and learned French and poetry composition. Her mother died in 1767. Two years later, Elizabeth met Sir Peniston Lamb, 2nd Baronet; they married in London on 13 April 1769. The couple lived at Melbourne House in Piccadilly and Elizabeth quickly became a well-known figure in London Whig society. '' by George Stubbs, 1769 She was apparently untroubled by her husband's infidelity early in their marriage with the actress and courtesan, Sophia Baddeley, just as he came to tolerate her numerous love affairs. Peniston was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Lord Melbourne, Baron of Kilmore, in 1770, and Viscount Melbourne, in 1781. As well as Melbourne House, the family had country residences at Brocket Hall, in Hertfordshire, and Melbourne Hall, in Derbyshire. ==Personal relationships==

and Anne Damer in Witches Round the Cauldron by Daniel Gardner (1775) From the start of her marriage, the shrewd and coldly pragmatic Lady Melbourne cultivated friendships that helped her position in society, and her husband's career. These relationships were frequently with men, some of whom became lovers. The early years of their marriage were rocky. Caroline reminded Lady Melbourne that George regarded her as a distraction from his work in theatre. Later in life, Lady Melbourne formed a friendship with the poet Lord Byron. She became his confidante during his affair with her daughter-in-law Lady Caroline Lamb. Although she approved of her son's marriage on social grounds, Lady Melbourne disliked Caroline intensely and their relationship was always bad. By contrast, she liked Byron and blamed him neither for having the affair with Caroline nor for ending it. Byron later married Lady Melbourne's niece, Anne Isabella Milbanke. Lord Melbourne was made a peer of the United Kingdom as Baron Melbourne of Melbourne in 1815. Lady Melbourne died on 6 April 1818 at Melbourne House of rheumatism: her slow and painful death distressed her loved ones greatly. It was entirely in character that on her deathbed she urged her daughter Emily to be faithful, not to her husband, Lord Cowper, but to her lover, Lord Palmerston (Emily and Palmerston eventually married after Cowper's death). She was survived by her husband who died in 1828. ==Issue==

'' by Thomas Lawrence. Lady Melbourne had six children that survived childhood; infant twins died in 1788. • William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (15 March 1779– 24 November 1848) • Frederick Lamb, 3rd Viscount Melbourne (17 April 1782 – 29 January 1853) • Hon. George Lamb (11 July 1784 – 2 January 1834) • Emily Lamb, Countess Cowper (1787–1869) • Harriet Lamb (1789–1803) ==References==