William Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton

William Henry Lyttelton (24 December 1724 – 14 September 1808) was the youngest son of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet.

As the youngest son, he did not expect to inherit the family estates and served in various government appointments. He became Governor of South Carolina in 1755, Governor of Jamaica in 1760, and envoy-extraordinary to Portugal in 1766. He was raised to the Irish peerage in 1776 as Baron Westcote.

As a result of the death without issue of his nephew Thomas Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton in 1779, he inherited the family baronetcy and family estates in Frankley, Halesowen, and Hagley. However, the estates in Upper Arley passed to the late lord's sister, his niece Lucy, wife of Arthur Annesley, 8th Viscount Valentia and later 1st Earl Mountnorris.

The title Baron Lyttelton was revived for Baron Westcote in 1794. He married twice. His first wife was Mart daughter and cohier of James Macartney of Longford nephew and coheir of Ambrose Aungier, 2nd Earl of Longford by whom he had three children including George Fulke, his successor. His second wife was Caroline Bristow, by whom he had two children including William Henry Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton.

References

*Rayment
*"Burkes Peerage and Baronetage" (1939), s.v. Cobham, Viscount