Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain, with the title Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull being a title in the Peerage of England. The earldom was created on 25 July 1628 for Robert Pierrepont, 1st Viscount Newark. The dukedom was created on 10 August 1715 for his great-grandson, Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Marquess of Dorchester, who had succeeded as the fifth Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull in 1690. The dukedom became extinct on the death of the second Duke in 1773. Unlike the city to which they refer, Kingston upon Hull, which is usually shortened to Hull, these titles are usually shortened to Duke (or Earl) of Kingston. (The titles were hyphenated but the city is now usually written without hyphens). They should not be confused with the separate Irish Earldom of Kingston (which refers to the town of Kingston in County Dublin).

Dukedom of Kingston-upon-Hull
Argent semée of cinquefoils gules, a lion rampant sable
Creation date10 August 1715
Created byGeorge I
PeeragePeerage of Great Britain
First holderEvelyn Pierrepont, 1st Marquess of Dorchester
Last holderEvelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
Remainder toThe first Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titlesMarquess of Dorchester (1706)
Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (1628)
Viscount Newark (1627)
Baron Pierrepont (1627)
Seat(s)Holme Pierrepont Hall
Thoresby Hall
Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull (1665–1726), by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt, 1709.
Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (1584–1643), contemporary portrait, artist unknown.
Holme Pierrepont Hall, the original seat of the Dukes and Earls of Kingston-upon-Hull.

History

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From the 13th century, the seat of the Pierrepont family had been Holme Pierrepont Hall, Nottinghamshire. This was to move during the sixteenth century to Thoresby Hall, also in Nottinghamshire. Several members of the family had served in the 15th and 16th centuries as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.[1] The direct forebear of the Dukes and Earls of Kingson-upon-Hull was Sir Henry Pierrepont who represented Nottinghamshire in Parliament. He had married Frances Cavendish, daughter and eldest child of Sir William Cavendish and Bess of Hardwick.

Sir Henry Pierrepont's son, Sir Robert Pierrepont, was created Viscount Newark and Baron Pierrepont in the Peerage of England on 29 June 1627. In 1628 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull with a remainder to heirs general, also in the Peerage of England. Robert Pierrepont had married Gertrude Talbot in 1601. She was a granddaughter of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, and through him, all their descendants are able to claim descent from Edward III, through Edward's younger son, Thomas of Woodstock.

The first Earl was succeeded by his son, Henry Pierrepont, who was himself created Marquess of Dorchester in 1645. He died without heirs in 1660, and this marquessate became extinct. The earldom and other titles devolved on his nephew, Robert, the third Earl, the eldest son of the Honourable William Pierrepont, second son of the first Earl. Robert died unmarried and was succeeded by his younger brother, William, the fourth Earl. William was in his turn succeeded by his younger brother, the aforementioned Evelyn, the fifth Earl. He was created Marquess of Dorchester in the Peerage of England in 1706, a revival of the title held by his uncle, and later created Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1715, with these titles becoming extinct on the death of the first Duke's grandson, Evelyn, the second Duke, in 1773. On the death of the second Duke's wife, the estates of the Dukes of Kingston-upon-Hull passed to Charles Medows. He was a great-grandson of the first Duke through the female line. He changed his surname to Pierrepont, and was created Viscount Newark, and Baron Pierrepont, of Holme Pierrepont in 1796 and later created Earl Manvers in 1806. These titles became extinct on the death of the sixth Earl Manvers in 1955.

Several other members of the family have also gained distinction. The Honourable William Pierrepont, second son of the first Earl, was a politician. His third son Gervase Pierrepont was created Baron Pierrepont in 1701. Lady Mary Pierrepont, better known as Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, daughter of the first Duke, was a writer, and introduced smallpox inoculation to Western medicine after witnessing it during her travels and stay in the Ottoman Empire.[2] Elizabeth Pierrepont, Duchess of Kingston-upon-Hull, wife of the second Duke, was a courtier.

Earls of Kingston-upon-Hull (1628)

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Other titles: Viscount Newark and Baron Pierrepont (1627)

Marquesses of Dorchester; First creation (1645)

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Other titles: Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (1628), Viscount Newark and Baron Pierrepont (1627)

Earls of Kingston-upon-Hull (1628, Reverted)

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Other titles: Viscount Newark and Baron Pierrepont (1627)

Dukes of Kingston-upon-Hull (1715)

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Other titles: Marquess of Dorchester (1706), Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (1628), Viscount Newark and Baron Pierrepont (1627)

Arms

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Coat of arms of Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
Coronet
Coronet of a Duke
Crest
A Lion rampant Sable, between two Wings erect Argent.
Escutcheon
Argent, semée of Cinquefoils Gules, a Lion rampant Sable.
Supporters
On either side a Lion Sable, armed and langued Gules.
Motto
PIE REPONE TE (Dutifully restore you)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The History and Gazetteer of the County of Derby Vol 1 (1831) Stephen Glover. Appendix p 10 Edward IV. Google Books
  2. ^ Ferguson, Donna (28 March 2021). "How Mary Wortley Montagu's bold experiment led to smallpox vaccine – 75 years before Jenner". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2021.