William Cavendish, 4th Earl and 1st Duke of Devonshire, was a man who, according to one of his contemporaries, “couldn’t leave home without something exciting happening to him”. So we were informed by our good friend Dr Gillian White, who then proceeded to recount several of those exciting happenings in her wonderfully informative and entertaining style. And all in a voice that, with her wonderful diction and voice projection, easily carried to every corner of the room!
Dr White led us on something of a ‘tour de force’ through some of the Duke’s exploits in Restoration England. From his duels, extra-marital affairs (leading to numerous illegitimate progeny to add to his five legitimate children), his warm relationship with Charles II, to his antipathy to James, Duke of York, and then strong opposition to King James II, William Cavendish undoubtedly helped shaped the England that flowed from the ‘Glorious Revolution’, when William of Orange took the throne left by a departing James.
Alongside all of this we had the development of Chatsworth in Derbyshire – the seat of the Dukes of Devonshire. Under the first Duke’s remodelling, it became the first ‘Baroch’ style building in England. The family motto, emblazoned in gold leaf across the top of the façade is, in translation, “Safe through Caution”, which might seem just about the exact opposite of how William Cavendish actually lived.
Dr White, of course, illustrated her talk with contemporary prints and portraits as well as shots of both the exterior and interior of the house today.
I think that probably everyone who came to our AGM this year would have left with a renewed interest in Restoration England and a desire to go (back) to Chatsworth and view it all (again) with new eyes. Our very grateful thanks must go to Dr Gillian White.
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