Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton

Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton, KCB, PC (c. 1718 – 5 July 1765), styled Marquess of Winchester from 1754 to 1759, was a British soldier, nobleman and Whig politician. He was the eldest son of Harry Powlett, 4th Duke of Bolton and Catherine Parry.

Educated at Winchester, he joined the British Army and became a lieutenant-colonel in 1745. Powlett was a Groom of the Bedchamber to Frederick, Prince of Wales from 1749 until the Prince's death in 1751. He had been promoted lieutenant general by 12 March 1752, when he was made a KCB. Upon the succession of his father to the Dukedom in December 1754, he became known as Marquess of Winchester^[1], and he left his seat at Lymington to succeed his father in Hampshire. He would remain member for that county until his accession as Duke of Bolton in 1759. On 22 December 1758, he was sworn of the Privy Council.

On 5 July 1765, Bolton committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol in his house in Grosvenor Square; "nobody knows why or wherefore," wrote Horace Walpole, "except that there is a good deal of madness in the blood".^[2] He left most of his fortune to his illegitimate daughter, Jean Mary Browne-Powlett (c.1751–1814), who married Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton. He was succeeded to the Dukedom by his brother Harry.

References

1. ^ George Edward Cokayne, ed. Vicary Gibbs, The Complete Peerage, vol. II, p. 214, The St Catherine Press, London, 1912
2. ^ Walpole, Horace (1844). Letters of Horace Walpole, earl of Orford. Lea & Blanchard. p. 133. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c7Y_AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Lord Nassau Powlett Sir Harry Burrard	Member of Parliament for Lymington with Sir Harry Burrard 1741–1754	Succeeded by Sir Harry Burrard Adam Drummond
Preceded by Lord Harry Powlett Alexander Thistlethwayte	Member of Parliament for Hampshire with Alexander Thistlethwayte 1754–1759	Succeeded by Alexander Thistlethwayte Henry Bilson-Legge
Honorary titles
Preceded by The 4th Duke of Bolton	Lieutenant of the Tower of London 1754–1760	Succeeded by George Paulet
	Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire 1758–1763	Succeeded by Marquess of Carnarvon
	Vice-Admiral of Dorset and Hampshire 1759–1765	Vacant Title next held by The 6th Duke of Bolton
Peerage of England
Preceded by Harry Powlett	Duke of Bolton 1759–1765	Succeeded by Harry Powlett

Persondata
Name	Bolton, Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	1765
Place of death