William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland

William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland KG (1 March 1709 – 1 May 1762), styled Viscount Woodstock from 1709 to 1715 and Marquess of Titchfield from 1715 to 1726, was a British peer.

Portland was the son of Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland and his wife Elizabeth Noel, daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough. He was an original governor of the Foundling Hospital in London, founded in 1739, and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1741. He married Lady Margaret Harley, daughter of Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. They had six children:

   * Lady Elizabeth Bentinck (Welbeck Abbey, 27 June 1735 – 25 December 1825, London), who married Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath

* Lady Henrietta Bentinck (b. 8 February 1737; 4 June 1827), who married George Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford[1]
* William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (b. 14 April 1738; d. 30 October 1809)
* Lady Margaret Bentinck (b. 26 July 1739; d.28 April 1756)
* Lady Frances Bentinck (b. 9 April 1741; March 1743)
* Lord Edward Charles Bentinck (3 March 1744 – 8 October 1819)
Portland is identified in The Handy-book of Literary Curiosities (1909) as one of the perpetrators of The Great Bottle Hoax of 1749 in which a large crowd was lured to a London theater with the expectation of seeing a man jump into a "quart bottle".

Portland died in May 1762, aged 53, was buried at Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his eldest son William, who became Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Duchess of Portland died in 1785.

The department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham holds a number of papers relating to the 2nd Duke: the 2nd Duke's papers (Pw D) are part of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection; as are the papers of John Achard (Pw C), personal tutor to the 2nd Duke.

The Portland Estate Papers held at Nottinghamshire Archives also contain items relating to the 2nd Duke's properties.

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William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland KG (1 March 1709 – 1 May 1762), styled Viscount Woodstock from 1709 to 1715 and Marquess of Titchfield from 1715 to 1726, was a British peer. Portland was the son of Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland and his wife Elizabeth Noel, daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough. He was an original governor of the Foundling Hospital in London, founded in 1739, and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1741. He married Lady Margaret Harley, daughter of Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. They had six children: Lady Elizabeth Bentinck (Welbeck Abbey, 27 June 1735 – 25 December 1825, London), who married Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath Lady Henrietta Bentinck (b. 8 February 1737; 4 June 1827), who married George Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford[1] William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (b. 14 April 1738; d. 30 October 1809) Lady Margaret Bentinck (b. 26 July 1739; d.28 April 1756) Lady Frances Bentinck (b. 9 April 1741; March 1743) Lord Edward Charles Cavendish-Bentinck (3 March 1744 – 8 October 1819) Portland is identified in The Handy-book of Literary Curiosities (1909) as one of the perpetrators of The Great Bottle Hoax of 1749 in which a large crowd was lured to a London theater with the expectation of seeing a man jump into a "quart bottle". Portland died in May 1762, aged 53, was buried at Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his eldest son William, who became Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Duchess of Portland died in 1785. The department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham holds a number of papers relating to the 2nd Duke: the 2nd Duke's papers (Pw D) are part of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection; as are the papers of John Achard (Pw C), personal tutor to the 2nd Duke. The Portland Estate Papers held at Nottinghamshire Archives also contain items relating to the 2nd Duke's properties.

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William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland KG, styled Viscount Woodstock from 1709 to 1715 and Marquess of Titchfield from 1715 to 1726, was a British peer and politician.