George Nugent, 1st Marquess of Westmeath

Nugent was born in Clonyn, County Westmeath, the only surviving son of George Frederick Nugent, 7th Earl of Westmeath, and Maryanne, daughter of Major James St. John Jefferyes.[1] His parents divorced in 1796 after his father's discovery of his mother's affair with Augustus Cavendish-Bradshaw, which also resulted in a celebrated action for criminal conversation. Both his parents were quickly remarried, his mother to her lover, and his father to Lady Elizabeth Moore, daughter of Charles Moore, 1st Marquess of Drogheda.

Lord Westmeath succeeded his father in the earldom in 1814. In 1822, he was created Marquess of Westmeath in the Peerage of Ireland.[2] As these were Irish peerages they did not entitle him to an automatic seat in the House of Lords. However, in 1831 he was elected an Irish Representative Peer.[3] The same year he was also appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Westmeath, a post he held until his death.[4]

Lord Westmeath was married three times. He married firstly Lady Emily Anne Bennet Elizabeth Cecil, daughter of James Cecil, 1st Marquess of Salisbury, and Lady Emily Mary Hill, on 29 May 1812. They had two children:

• William Henry Wellington Brydges Nugent, Lord Delvin (24 November 1818 – 16 November 1819)
• Lady Rosa Emily Mary Anne Nugent (1814–1883), married Fulke Greville-Nugent, 1st Baron Greville.

Lord Westmeath and Lady Emily divorced in 1827, having separated, been reconciled and then entered a second legal separation. Her unsuccessful efforts to obtain custody of her daughter later led her to campaign for reform of the law together with the prominent writer and feminist Caroline Norton. He married, secondly, Maria Jervis on 18 February 1858. They divorced in 1862. He married, lastly, Elizabeth Charlotte Verner, daughter of David Verner and niece of Sir William Verner, 1st Baronet, on 12 July 1864.

He also had an illegitimate daughter, Eliza Nugent (c. 1806 - 14 September 1877), who married Alfred Harley, 6th Earl of Oxford and Mortimer.

Lord Westmeath died in May 1871, aged 85, when the marquessate became extinct. His two half-brothers, Robert and Thomas, had predeceased him, without issue. He was succeeded in his remaining titles by his kinsman, Anthony Nugent, of the junior branch of the family which had the title Baron Nugent of Riverston. The Marchioness of Westmeath died in September 1882.[5]

• Dukes of Buckingham Accessed 11 February 2009

• "Archival material relating to Nugent, George Thomas John (1785-1871) Marquess of Westmeath". UK National Archives.