The Most Honourable The Marquess Townshend PC FRS
Lord Townshend by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Lord Steward of the Household
In office 1799–1802
Monarch	George III
Prime Minister	William Pitt the Younger Henry Addington
Preceded by	The Duke of Dorset
Succeeded by	The Earl of Dartmouth
Personal details
Born	George Townshend (1753-04-18)18 April 1753
Died	27 July 1811(1811-07-27) (aged 58)
Nationality	British
Spouse	Charlotte Mainwaring-Ellerker ​ ​ (m. 1777; died 1802)​
Alma mater	St John's College, Cambridge

George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend, PC, FRS (18 April 1753 – 27 July 1811), known as The Lord Ferrers of Chartley from 1770 to 1784 and as The Earl of Leicester from 1784 to 1807, was a British peer and politician.

Townshend was the eldest son of George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, by his first wife Charlotte Compton, 16th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley and 7th Baroness Compton. He was the elder brother of Lord John Townshend and Lord Charles Townshend and the nephew of Charles Townshend. He succeeded to the titles held by his mother on her death in 1774 and became known as the Lord Ferrers of Chartley. He was educated at Eton^[1] and St John's College, Cambridge,^[1][2] and served for a few years in the Army, achieving the ranks of Cornet, Lieutenant, and finally Captain in 1774.^[1]

Townshend received his writ of summons to the House of Lords in 1774. In March 1782 he was appointed Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, a position he held until May 1783, and again from December 1783 to 1797. He was admitted to the Privy Council in April 1782^[3] and also served as a member of the Committee for Trade from 1784 to 1786. In 1784 he was created Earl of Leicester in his own right.^[4] His choice of title derived from the fact that he was a female-line great-great-great-grandson of Lady Lucy Sydney, daughter of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (a title which had become extinct in 1743). He later held office under William Pitt the Younger and Henry Addington as Master of the Mint from 1790 to 1794, as Joint Postmaster General from 1794 to 1799 and as Lord Steward of the Household from 1799 to 1802. In 1807 he succeeded his father in the marquessate of Townshend.

Apart from his political career, Townshend was interested in archaeology and served as President of the Society of Antiquaries. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Trustee of the British Museum.^[1]

Ellerker's Estate Act 1750
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act for the effectual securing of a Jointure, by Way of Rent Charge, for Barbara Mainwaring Ellerker, Wife of Eaton Mainworing Ellerker Esquire, and raising Portions for then Younger Children, pursuant to an Agreement contained in then Marriage Settlement, and for confirming and establishing the Surname of Ellerker, and the Coat of Arms of the Ellerkers of Risby, in the County of York, and the Crest granted by King Henry the Eighth, to the said Laton Mainwaring Ellerker and his Issue.
Citation	24 Geo. 2. c. 17 Pr.
Dates
Royal assent	22 May 1751

Lord Townshend married Charlotte, daughter of Eaton Mainwaring-Ellerker, on 24 December 1777, who had adopted the name and arms of Ellerker by a private act of Parliament, Ellerker's Estate Act 1750 (24 Geo. 2. c. 17 Pr.).^[5] They had two sons, George and Lord Charles, both of whom died childless, and three daughters. She died in February 1802. Lord Townshend died suddenly in July 1811, aged 58, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son George, who had previously been disinherited. On the latter's death in 1855 the earldom of Leicester became extinct while the marquessate passed to his cousin John Townshend, son of Lord John Townshend of Balls Park.^[1]

Coat of arms of George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend

Crest A stag statant proper, attired and unguled or. Escutcheon Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Azure, a chevron ermine between three escallops argent (Townshend); 2nd and 3rd, quarterly gules and or, in the first quarter a mullet argent, in the centre a crescent sable (Vere). Supporters Dexter, A stag sable, attired and unguled or; Sinister, A greyhound argent. Motto Hæc generi incrementa fides (Faith obtained these honours for our race’).[6] Other versions The arms are also shown without the Vere quarters.

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Marquess Townshend