George Byng, 4th Viscount Torrington

George Byng, 4th Viscount Torrington (11 October 1740 – 14 December 1812) was a British diplomat.

The Right Honourable The Viscount Torrington
Portrait of Byng by John Astley
British minister in Brussels
In office 1783–1792
Preceded by	Alleyne FitzHerbert
Succeeded by	The Earl of Elgin
Personal details
Born	George Byng (1740-10-11)11 October 1740
Died	14 December 1812(1812-12-14) (aged 72)
Spouse	Lady Lucy Boyle ​ ​ (m. 1765; died 1792)​
Children	7
Parent(s)	George Byng, 3rd Viscount Torrington Elizabeth Daniel
Residence	Southill Park

Early life

He was the eldest son and heir of Major-General George Byng, 3rd Viscount Torrington (1701–1750), by his wife Elizabeth Daniel.^[1][2] His paternal grandfather, Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Byng, KB, was created a baronet in 1715 before being elevated to the peerage as Viscount Torrington in 1721, his family were formerly seated at Southill Park in Bedfordshire. He was a great-uncle of the politician Lord John Russell and in 1847 his cousin, Field Marshal Sir John Byng, GCB, was created Earl of Strafford.^[3]

Career

Southill Park, Bedfordshire

He inherited the Torrington viscountcy and the family seat of Southill Park in Bedfordshire on the death of his father in 1750. He sold Southill to the beer magnate, Samuel Whitbread, in 1795.^[3]

Personal life

On 20 July 1765 he married Lady Lucy Boyle (1744–1792), a daughter of John Boyle, 5th Earl of Cork, by his wife, Margaret Hamilton,^[3] by whom he had seven children,^[4] three sons who all predeceased him, and four daughters:

• Hon. Lucy Elizabeth Byng (1760–1844), who married Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Earl of Bradford, in 1788.^[3]
• Hon. Georgiana Elizabeth Byng (1768–1801), who married John Russell, later 6th Duke of Bedford, in 1786.^[3]
• Hon. William Henry Byng (1769–1770), who died young, predeceasing his father.^[3]
• Hon. Isabella Elizabeth Byng (1773–1830), who married Thomas Thynne, 2nd Marquess of Bath, in 1794.^[3]
• Hon. William Henry Byng (1775–1792), who predeceased his father.^[3]
• Hon. George Byng (1777–1792), who predeceased his father.^[5]
• Hon. Emily Elizabeth Byng (1779–1824), who married Henry Seymour of Brighthelmston, Sussex, son of Lord Robert Seymour, in 1801.^[6]

Lord Torrington died on 14 December 1812, and as he left no surviving male issue he was succeeded in the viscountcy by his younger brother John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington, who died less than a month later.^[3]

See also

• Viscount Torrington