Sidney Meadows

Sir Sidney Meadows[1] (c. 1699 – 15 November 1792) was a British Member of Parliament and Knight Marshal of the King's Household during the reign of George II and George III.[2]

Family
Sir Sidney Meadows' daughter, Frances, was Maid of Honour to Queen Charlotte, (seated) when Johan Zoffany painted this portrait in 1765

He was the eldest son of the diplomat Sir Philip Meadowes (1672-1757), of Brompton, Kensington,[3] and his wife Dorothy, daughter of Edward Boscawen. On 2 June 1742 he married Jemima, daughter of the Hon. Charles Montagu of Durham and granddaughter of Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich. Edward Montagu and his wife Elizabeth, leader of the Blue Stockings Society, were Meadows' brother and sister-in-law. Horace Walpole references the wealth of Sir Sidney and Lady Meadows in his published correspondence.[4][5][6][7]

In 1768, Queen Charlotte "set the worthy King to work to patch up" with Sir Sidney the scandal of the "stolen marriage" Sir Sidney's daughter Frances (1741-1769) - Charlotte's Maid of Honour - had made with Captain Campbell, "a penniless officer". Despite not "giving notice to the queen or her father", Charlotte kept the peace and generously gave "her late maid of honour a thousand pounds". Frances died in "childbed" i.e., giving birth to her only son.[8][9][10]


Sir Sidney Meadows, by George Stubbs, RA, 1778, 32 x 40 inches, Royal Collection

Career

Through the influence of his uncle Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth, Meadows was returned to Parliament for Penryn in 1722 and for Truro in 1727. In 1734 he was nominated Member for Tavistock by the Duke of Bedford. All his recorded votes were against the government and he did not stand in 1741. In 1757 he succeeded his father and in 1758 he was appointed Knight Marshal, one of the judges (along with the Lord Steward of the Household) of the Marshalsea Court. He held this office until his death. In 1761, Sidney Meadows was promoted to the position of Deputy Ranger of Richmond Park in the grazing and agricultutral branches under the direction of King George III, himself interested in the management of the park. Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute was Ranger. Sidney's brother, Philip (1708-1781), took over the role of Deputy Ranger of Richmond Park and held it until his death.[11][5][12][13]

Equestrian

A talented horseman, Meadows made many improvements in the "art of horsemanship". George Stubbs painted a portrait of him upon his horse.[14][15] Meadows conducted a riding house in Mayfair and gave riding lessons to the nobility, believing they would benefit from his expertise. A "strong-built man", Meadows was still giving horse-riding instructions when "approaching eighty". Hester Thrale, celebrated member of the Blue Stockings Society, observed both his horses and his equestrian skills favourably when visiting him at his "riding house".[16][17]

References
  1. Sheppard, Edgar. "Memorials of St. James's Palace. Vol. 1. 1894". Sheppard, Edgar. Memorials of St. James's Palace. Vol. 1. 1894 - Page 242 (307)). Retrieved 9 April 2015. ....were received by Sir Sidney Meadows, Knight Marshal
  2. Richardson, R. (1776). The Attorney's Practice In The Court of King's Bench. E. Brooke. p. 525. Retrieved 14 June 2023. ...before William, Earl Talbot, steward of the King's household, Sir Sidney Meadows, Knight Marshal of the said [i.e.King's] household
  3. Knighted on 23 Dec 1700.
  4. The Annual Register, Or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the Year. printed for J. Dodsley in Pall Mall, London. 1768. p. 209. Retrieved 13 June 2023. Marriages:...Captain Campbell of the guards, to Miss Frances Meadows, daughter to Sir Sidney Meadows, and one of the maids of honour to the queen.
  5. Eveline Cruickshanks, MEADOWS, Sidney (c.1699-1792), of Conholt, nr. Andover, Hants. in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754 (1970).
  6. Walpole, H. (1820). Private Correspondence. London. p. 125. ...Lady Meadows...maiden name...(footnote - Montagu)...
  7. Collins, A. (1812). Collins's Peerage of England: Contains the earls from the accession of George III. Rivington, London. p. 724. Retrieved 13 June 2023. Appendix (page 724) - ...dying in childbed...
  8. Fitzgerald, P. (1890). The Good Queen Charlotte. Downey. p. 94,95. Retrieved 30 June 2023. In 1768 we hear of one of the maids of honour - Miss Meadows, [first cousin, not sister] to Lord Manvers - running off to make a stolen marriage with Captain Campbell, a penniless officer, and without giving notice to the queen or to her father....the worthy king set to work to patch up this affair...the queen generously gave her late maid of honour a present of 1000 pounds...
  9. The Annual Register, Or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the Year. printed for J. Dodsley in Pall Mall, London. 1768. p. 209. Retrieved 13 June 2023. Marriages:...Captain Campbell of the guards, to Miss Frances Meadows, daughter to Sir Sidney Meadows, and one of the maids of honour to the queen.
  10. Collins, A. (1812). Collins's Peerage of England: Contains the earls from the accession of George III. Rivington, London. p. 724. Retrieved 13 June 2023. Appendix (page 724) - ...dying in childbed...
  11. Smolette, T G (1761). "London Magazine – Promotions". James Rivington & James Fletcher. p. 335. Retrieved 11 April 2015. Promotions Lord Bute Ranger Richmond Park Sidney Meadows Deputy Ranger Richmond Park
  12. "The British Friend". 2nd Month, 1849 (Page 32). 1849. Retrieved 7 April 2016. ...Sir Sidney Meadows, who was deputy ranger of Richmond Park....
  13. "Philip Meadows". DNB. Retrieved 11 April 2015. refs to Sidney and brother Philip meadows, their father Sir Philip, son of Sir Philip...
  14. Adams (Riding Master), John (1805). An Analysis of Horsemanship. James Cundee. Retrieved 10 June 2023. and was sold by Sir Sidney Meadows to Mr. Cowling for a school-horse...
  15. Curtis, T. (1839). The London Encyclopaedia. Oxford University. p. 520. Retrieved 10 June 2023. Sir Sidney Meadows , who has made many important improvements in the art of horsemanship...
  16. Transactions - Volumes 45-49. Ancient Monuments Society. 2001. p. 67. Retrieved 11 June 2023. Curzon Street, Mayfair, London ...Henry Angelo , who was taught there by Sir Sidney Meadows , recorded how Meadows exercised every morning in the riding house , where he was often visited by the nobility . Mrs Thrale after a visit compared the horses there to Kemble ...
  17. Angelo, Henry (1830). Reminiscences of Henry Angelo, with Memoirs of His Late... p. 140. Retrieved 11 June 2023. SIR SIDNEY MEADOWS ...the way the croup was to turn , answered the effect without deviating from his posture , using the ... At the time I received lessons from Sir Sidney , he must have been approaching to eighty ; a strong - built man ...


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