Biography of George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper 1738-1789

On 27th September 1732 [his father] William Clavering-Cowper 2nd Earl Cowper (age 23) and [his mother] Henrietta Nassau 2nd Countess Cowper (age 19) were married. She by marriage Countess Cowper. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry Nassau 1st Earl Grantham (age 59) and [his grandmother] Henrietta Butler Countess Grantham. He the son of [his grandfather] William Cowper 1st Earl Cowper and [his grandmother] Mary Clavering Countess Cowper.

On 26th August 1738 George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper was born to William Clavering-Cowper 2nd Earl Cowper (age 29) and Henrietta Nassau 2nd Countess Cowper (age 25).

On 23rd September 1747 [his mother] Henrietta Nassau 2nd Countess Cowper (age 34) died.

On 18th September 1764 [his father] William Clavering-Cowper 2nd Earl Cowper (age 55) died. His son George (age 26) succeeded 3rd Earl Cowper, 3rd Baron Cowper of Wingham in Kent, 5th Baronet Cowper of Ratling Court in Kent. [his future wife] Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper by marriage Countess Cowper.

1765. Anton Raphael Mengs (age 36). Portrait of George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper (age 26).

John Zoffany His Life and Works. Around 1775. Johan Joseph Zoffany (age 41). DESBOROUGH, LADY. Panshanger, Hertford.

George (age 36), third Earl Cowper, [his wife] Countess Cowper, Mr. and Mrs. Gore and the two Miss Gores.

Lord Cowper is standing in a green coat, pink waistcoat and breeches; Lady Cowper is in a pink dress; her father, [his father-in-law] Mr. Gore (age 45), is playing the violincello; Mrs. Gore in a grey gown! Miss Emily Gore, in blue, playing the harpsichord and the youngest in white brocade. Canvas 37 x 30. P.

Countess Cowper was the daughter of Charles Gore, Esq., of Southampton. Her parents took her to Italy for her health, where the family resided for a long time. Mr. Gore is supposed to have been the original of Goethe's "travelled Englishman" in Wilhelm Meister. Mrs. Delany, in one of her amusing letters, mentions the meeting of Lord Cowper and Miss Gore at Florence, "when little Cupid straightway bent his bow."

They were married at Florence, and on that occasion Horace Walpole (age 57) condoles with Sir Horace Mann (age 68) on the prospect, as he would lose so much of the society of his great friend, Lord Cowper. Both Lady Cowper and her husband were in high favour at the Grand-Ducal Court of Tuscany, and the former was a great ornament of the brilliant (but by no means straight-laced) society of the day. Miss Berry speaks in very high terms of Miss Gore, who resided with her married sister. Three sons were born to the Cowpers in Florence. (Panshanger Catalogue, p. 308.)

Painted at the Villa Palmieri, Florence, which belonged to George, third Earl Cowper. He is standing up in the picture; Lady Cowper is in a pink dress; her father, Mr. Gore, is playing the violincello; Mrs. Gore and her youngest daughter are in grey, and Miss Emily Gore is playing the harpsichord. This picture was given to the sixth [his grandson] Earl Cowper by his brother, the Hon. Spencer Cowper, who bought it at Florence in 1845 for £20. It was strongly suspected that it was stolen from the Villa with many other objects of value when Lady Cowper died there at an advanced age in 1826. II. Nat. Loan Exhibit, Grosvenor Gallery No. 80, p. 94 Whitechapel, 1908 (157). There is also another picture at Panshanger attributed to Zoffany.

Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper: she was born to Charles Gore and Mary Cockerill. On 18th September 1764 William Clavering-Cowper 2nd Earl Cowper died. His son George succeeded 3rd Earl Cowper, 3rd Baron Cowper of Wingham in Kent, 5th Baronet Cowper of Ratling Court in Kent. She by marriage Countess Cowper. In 1775 George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper and she were married. He the son of William Clavering-Cowper 2nd Earl Cowper and Henrietta Nassau 2nd Countess Cowper. In 1826 she died.

Charles Gore: Before he and Mary Cockerill were married. She brough sufficient wealth to the marriage that he didn't need to work. On 5th December 1729 he was born at Horkstow Hall, Lincolnshire. On 23rd January 1807 he died.

In 1775 George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper (age 36) and Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper were married. He the son of William Clavering-Cowper 2nd Earl Cowper and Henrietta Nassau 2nd Countess Cowper.

On 9th August 1776 [his son] George Augustus Clavering-Cowper 4th Earl Cowper was born to George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper (age 37) and [his wife] Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper.

On 6th May 1778 [his son] Peter Nassau Clavering-Cowper 5th Earl Cowper was born to George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper (age 39) and [his wife] Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper.

Before 1789 Johan Joseph Zoffany (age 55). Portrait of George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper (age 50).

On 22nd December 1789 George Nassau Clavering-Cowper 3rd Earl Cowper (age 51) died. His son [his son] George (age 13) succeeded 4th Earl Cowper, 4th Baron Cowper of Wingham in Kent, 6th Baronet Cowper of Ratling Court in Kent.

In 1826 [his former wife] Hannah Anna Gore 3rd Countess Cowper died.