WALDEGRAVE  , the name of an

English family, taken from its early residence, Walgrave in Northamptonshire . Its founder was SIR RICHARD WALDEGRAVE, or WALGRAVE, who was member of parliament for Lincolnshire in 1335; his son, Sir Richard Waldegrave (d . 1402), was speaker of the House of Commons in 1402 . One of Sir Richard's descendants was Sir Edward Waldegrave (c . 1517-1561) of Borley, Essex, who was. imprisoned during the reign of Edward VI. for his loyalty to the princess, afterwards Queen Mary . By Mary he was knighted, and he received from her the manor of Chewton in Somerset, now the residence of Earl Waldegrave . He was a member of parliament and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster . After Mary's decease he suffered a reverse of fortune, and he was a prisoner in the Tower of London when he died on the 1st of September 1561 . Sir Edward's descendant, another Sir Edward Waldegrave, was created a baronet in 1643 for his services to Charles I.; and his descendant, Sir Henry Waldegrave, Bart . (1660-1689), was created Baron Waldegrave of Chewton in 1686 . Sir Henry married Henrietta (d . 1730), daughter of King James II. and Arabella Churchill, and their son was James, 1st Earl Waldegrave (1684-1741) .

Educated in

France, James Waldegrave soon crossed over to England, and under George I. he declared himself a Protestant and took his seat as Baron Waldegrave in the House of Lords . Having become friendly with Sir Robert Walpole, he was sent to Paris as ambassador extraordinary in 1725, and from 1727 to 1730 he was British ambassador at Vienna . In 1729 he was created Viscount Chewton and Earl Waldegrave, and in 1730 he succeeded Sir Horatio Walpole as ambassador in Paris, filling this post during ten very difficult years . He died on the r Ith of April 1741 . Much of his diplomatic correspondence is in the British Museum . His son JAMES, the 2nd earl (1715-1763), was perhaps the mostintimate friend of George II., and was for a time governor of his grandson, the future king George III . He was very much in evidence during the critical years 1755-1757, when the king employed him to negotiate in turn with Newcastle, Devonshire, Pitt and Fox about the formation of a ministry . Eventually, in consequence of a deadlock, Waldegrave himself was first lord of the treasury for five days in June 1757 . He died on the 28th of April 1763, leaving some valuable and interesting Memoirs, which were published in 1821 . His brother JOHN, the 3rd earl (1718-1784), was a soldier, who distinguished himself especially at the battle of Minden and became a general in 1772 . He was a member of parliament from 1747 to 1763 . His younger soli, William Waldegrave (1753-1825), entered the British navy in 1766, and after many years of service was third in command at the battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797 .

In 1800 he was created an Irish peer as Baron Radstock, and in 1802 he became an

admiral . His son, George Granville, 2nd Baron Radstock (1786-1857), followed in his father's footsteps, and was made a vice-admiral in 1851 . In 1857 his son, Granville Augustus William (b . 1833), became 3rd Baron Radstock .