Lord Edward Cavendish

Lord Edward Cavendish MP was a 19th-century British politician, soldier, and nobleman.

Family background

Born in Marylebone, Cavendish was the third son of William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, by his wife, Lady Blanche Howard. His father and his two surviving brothers were all Members of Parliament : his eldest brother Spencer, MP for North Lancashire 1857–91 and later 8th Duke of Devonshire, led the Liberal Party and was asked three times to be Prime Minister of [the United Kingdom|Prime Minister] by Queen Victoria; the middle brother, Frederick Cavendish|Frederick] was MP for the West Riding and Chief Secretary for Ireland and was assassinated in 1882.

Cavendish was commissioned into the part-time 2nd Derbyshire Militia (Chatsworth Rifles) as an ensign on 30 January 1856, and then served as a Regular officer in the Rifle Brigade from 1858 to 1865. After retiring from the army he rejoined the Chatsworth Rifles as a captain in 1866 was promoted to major in 1874. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel commandant of the regiment on 9 April 1881, but transferred to command the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the King's Own [Royal Regiment (Lancaster)] on 17 March 1888.

Cavendish served as MP for West Derbyshire from the creation of the constituency until his death. Like his eldest brother, he became a Liberal Unionist in reaction to the Liberal Party's policy on Irish Home Rule. Upon his death in Marylebone aged 53, his son, Victor, was elected unopposed to replace him, later becoming the 9th Duke of Devonshire.

Cavendish married his cousin Emma Lascelles, a daughter of the Rt. Hon. William Lascelles, on 3 August 1865. They had three sons: