Person    | Male  Born 15/4/1721  Died 31/10/1765

William Duke of Cumberland

Categories: Armed Forces, Royalty

Countries: Scotland

Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. He was the third son and the sixth of the eight children of King George II and Queen Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach and was born on 15 April 1721 in Leicester House, Leicester Fields (now Leicester Square).

Known, in Scotland, as the Butcher of Cumberland for his role in putting down the Scottish rebels led by Prince Charles Stuart, at the Battle of Culloden, the last battle fought on British soil, 16 April 1746. Handel's oratorio chorus "See the Conquering Hero Comes" was written that year in his honour.

Another nickname was 'Stinking Billy' prompted by the Sweet William flower emblem used by his English supporters. He also took part in the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) and the Seven Years War (1756-1763).

He died from a brain-clot, aged 44 years, on 31 October 1765, at his home on Upper Grosvenor Street, Westminster and was buried beneath the floor of the nave of the Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Duke of Cumberland

Commemorated ati

William Duke of Cumberland

The original was in lead and gilt and was, apparently, London's first outdoor...

Read More

Other Subjects

Signalman George James Ewer

Signalman George James Ewer

George James Ewer was born in 1913 the son of Frederick George Ewer (1881-1964) and Elizabeth Kate Ewer née Howard (1881-1967). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1913 in the Willesden ...

Person, Armed Forces, Germany

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Rifleman James Barrow Davies

Rifleman James Barrow Davies

James Barrow Davies was born in 1885. His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1885 in the West Derby registration district in Liverpool, Lancashire (now Merseyside). He was the son of James ...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan

Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan

Prominent botanist and mycologist (fungi). Leader of the first women's army corps. Dame Helen Charlotte Isabella Gwynne-Vaughan, GBE   During WW1 she served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and...

Person, Armed Forces, Gender Issues, Science

1 memorial
Private John Lewis Lidstone

Private John Lewis Lidstone

Very little is known about John Lewis Lidstone. We know from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website that his parents were James and Maria Lidstone In the 1911 census he is shown as John ...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Fredk. C. Hedge

Fredk. C. Hedge

Resident of the Central Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

William H. Heath

William H. Heath

Mayor of Wandsworth 1936/37 and ballroom dancer. The cutting in our photograph is dated 24/8/1937, so we presume Mrs Heath was still around, and happy for him and Nellie Wood to go off together!

Person, Dance, Politics & Administration, Austria

1 memorial