Charles Tennyson, the uncle of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was disliked in his home county, and he didn’t fare much better with those in met in his political career either. Would you like a man who thought he could be successful just because of who he was?

This is what he wrote to his father about his expectations of higher office.

‘I have reason to think that Canning has thought of offering me a situation with him in India’

‘They will have it I am to be their next member when the time comes....’

‘I have now made up my mind most reluctantly to give up all thoughts of contesting Lincoln. I am most vexatious because I am confident of success but of the absurd prejudice that has arisen against me on the part of several inferior class of voter... ‘

Charles Tennyson’s self-importance was based on his perceived notion of entitlement. He had his heart set on a peerage that was linked to the Barony of d’Eyncourt, a title that had been in abeyance for over a century. He would pester his father to change the family surname to d’Eyncourt, which he didn’t. He did eventually persuade him to add a codicil to his will to that effect though.
He failed to achieve any of the above.

Tennyson was the uncle of Alfred, Lord Tennyson whose work he called ‘horrid rubbish indeed, a discredit to British taste.’ I bet the roof lifted off his fine manor house when he heard Alfred had been offered a peerage.

#18thcentury #lincolnshire #Tealby #englishvillages #tennyson #peerages #parliament #delusionsofgrandeur #coatofarms #daincourt

Memorial of Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt at All Saints Church in Tealby, Lincolnshire.

Charles Tennyson’s self-importance was based on his perceived notion of entitlement. He had his heart set on a peerage that was linked to the Barony of d’Eyncourt, a title that had been in abeyance for over a century. He would pester his father to change the family surname to d’Eyncourt, which he didn’t. He did eventually persuade him to add a codicil to his will to that effect though.

Tennyson was disliked in his home county, and he didn’t fare much better with those in met in his political career either. Here's what he had to say about the people he was hoping to representing.

‘I have now made up my mind most reluctantly to give up all thoughts of contesting Lincoln. I am most vexatious because I am confident of success but of the absurd prejudice that has arisen against me on the part of several inferior class of voter...‘

#lincolnshire #tealby #tennyson #peerage #entitlement #localhistory #lincolnshirefamilyhistory #heraldry

Detail on a memorial to Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt at All Saints Church Tealby in Lincolnshire.

Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt, and his older brother George Clayton Tennyson, had been brought up with the story of their family connection to the ennobled family of d’Eyncourt. This tale greatly impressed Charles, who would spend the rest of his life trying to obtain the right to the d’Eyncourt name and the peerage that went with it.

#lincolnshire #tealby #tennyson #peerage #nobility #localhistory #lincolnshirefamilyhistory #heraldry

Monument to George Tennyson at All Saints Church Tealby Lincolnshire.

George Tennyson was a lawyer who had some interest in politics. Not interested enough to enter parliament himself, he looked to his sons to do it for him. His elder son, also George, did not match his high expectations, his father considered him weak and duly sent him off for a career in the church. Charles, the second son was the person through who he could live his life. The disinheriting of George and the favouritism shown to Charles would cause much family strife which exhibited itself in mental illness that reverberated down the generations.

George Tennyson died in 1835.

#lincolnshire #tealby #allsaints #church #lincolnshirechurches #tennyson #lincolnshirefamilyhistory #localhistory

The Tennyson family at Tealby did have a very high opinion of themselves, but they did, in fact, have a justifiable, if somewhat distant connection to nobility in the form of the ancient families of d’aincourt and Lovel which they cashed in on. From 1835 they used Tennyson d’Eyncourt as their surname.

In celebration of this they had this beautiful window added to the east end of the village church. This was done not only to mark themselves out above the rest, but so they could distinguish themselves from Alfred’s lot at Somersby.

#19thcentury #lincolnshire #tealby #lincolnshirevillages #church #churcharchitecture #stainedglass #tennyson #oneupmanship #daincoirt #lovel #nobility #alfredlordtennyson #poet #somersby #lincolnshirefamilies
Edited · 19h