SPENCER, GEORGE JOHN, SECOND EARL SPENCER
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Quarterly, arg. and gu., on the 2nd and 3rd quarters a fret or, over all on a bend sa., 3 escallops of the first. Spencer.
Sinister: Quarterly.
1st and 4th; az., a bend cotised between 6 crosses pattée or. Bingham.
2nd and 3rd; erm., a lion rampant ducally crowned or. Smith.
Crest.—Out of a ducal coronet or, a griffin's head arg., gorged with a bar gemelle gu., between 2 wings expanded of the second.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
Supporters.—Dexter: A griffin, per fess erm. and erminois, gorged with a collar sa., the edges flory counterflory chained of the last (on the collar 3 escallops arg.).
Sinister: A wyvern erect on his tail erm., collared and chained as the griffin.
Motto.—Dieu defend le droit.
[Cicero. Tusculanae Disputationes. Romae, 1469.]
George John Spencer (born 1st September 1758, died 10th November 1834) was the son of John Spencer, Earl Spencer. In 1783 he succeeded his father in the family honours. He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge. In 1780 George Spencer was Member of Parliament for Northampton, and shortly afterwards became a Commissioner of the Treasury Board. He was also Lord Privy Seal and First Lord of the Admiralty. In 1806 he was made Secretary of State for the Home Department.
In 1781 Lord Spencer married Lavinia Bingham, daughter of Charles, Earl of Lucan, and in 1797 he was made a Knight of the Garter. Lord Spencer made a magnificent collection of books at Althorp Park, Northampton, and acquired several already celebrated libraries, particularly those of Count Reviczky and the Duke of Cassano-Serra. Several of Lord Spencer's books were bound for him by Charles Kalthoeber, a celebrated binder who worked also for George III., and closely imitated the work of Roger Payne, whose own work is also excellently represented in the library.
In 1892 the Althorp Library was purchased by Mrs. Rylands of Longford Hall, Manchester, and subsequently presented by her to the city of Manchester in memory of her husband, Mr. John Rylands.
