, by
Frans van Stampart Born on 21 October 1719, he was one of six sons and eight daughters born to
Philip Sherard, 2nd Earl of Harborough by his wife, the former Anne Pedley (d. ). Among his sisters was Lady Dorothy Sherard, who married Rev. James Torkington of
Great Stukeley (Rector of
Kings Ripton and
Little Stukeley). His father, a
Member of Parliament for
Rutland, succeeded to the earldom of his cousin,
Bennet Sherard, 1st Earl of Harborough, in 1732. His paternal grandparents were
Bennet Sherard of
Whissendine, and the former Dorothy Fairfax (a daughter of
Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron). His aunt Margaret Sherard was the wife of
The Most Rev. John Gilbert,
Archbishop of York. Through his sister, Lady Dorothy, he was uncle to the political reformer and radical writer
Ann Jebb, wife of reformer
John Jebb. His mother was the daughter and heiress of Nicholas Pedley of Washingley (son and heir of Sir
Nicholas Pedley,
Serjeant-at-Law) and the former Frances Apreece (daughter of Robert Apreece). After attending
Eton, he matriculated at
Christ Church, Oxford, in December 1737, before switching colleges and graduating from
Merton College, Oxford in 1740. Three years later he was ordained Deacon and then Priest at the Spring Gardens Chapel, Westminster. ==Career==