# Robert Lee, 4th Earl of Lichfield

Robert Lee, 4th Earl of Lichfield (1706–1776) was an English politician and peer, the last of the Earls of Lichfield.

## Birth and origins

Robert was born on 3 July 1706 in St. James Street, Westminster, London. He was one of the ten children and the youngest of the sons of Edward Henry Lee and his wife Charlotte FitzRoy. His father was created the 1st Earl of Lichfield just before his marriage. Robert's mother was a natural daughter of Charles II and Barbara Villiers.
Family tree :
| | | | | | | | | Charles II 1630–1685 | Charles II 1630–1685 | Charles II 1630–1685 | Charles II 1630–1685 | Charles II 1630–1685 | Charles II 1630–1685 | | | Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 | Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 | Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 | Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 | Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 | Barbara Villiers 1640–1709 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 | Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 | Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 | Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 | Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 | Edward 1st Earl 1663–1716 | | | Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 | Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 | Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 | Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 | Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 | Charlotte FitzRoy 1664–1718 |
| George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 | George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 | George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 | George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 | George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 | George 2nd Earl 1690–1742 | | | Frances Hales d. 1769 | Frances Hales d. 1769 | Frances Hales d. 1769 | Frances Hales d. 1769 | Frances Hales d. 1769 | Frances Hales d. 1769 | | | Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 | Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 | Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 | Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 | Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 | Robert 4th Earl 1706–1776 | | | Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 | Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 | Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 | Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 | Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 | Catherine Stonhouse 1708–1784 |
| George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 | George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 | George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 | George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 | George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 | George 3rd Earl 1718–1772 | | | Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 | Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 | Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 | Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 | Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 | Diana Frankland c. 1719–1779 | | | Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 | Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 | Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 | Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 | Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 | Henry 11th Viscount 1705–1787 | | | Charlotte Lee d. 1794 | Charlotte Lee d. 1794 | Charlotte Lee d. 1794 | Charlotte Lee d. 1794 | Charlotte Lee d. 1794 | Charlotte Lee d. 1794 |
| | | | | Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 | Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 | Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 | Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 | Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 | Henrietta- Maria Phipps 1757–1782 | | | Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 | Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 | Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 | Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 | Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 | Charles 12th Viscount 1745–1813 | | | Marie Rogier d. 1833 | Marie Rogier d. 1833 | Marie Rogier d. 1833 | Marie Rogier d. 1833 | Marie Rogier d. 1833 | Marie Rogier d. 1833 |
| XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Earls of Lichfield | Earls of Lichfield | Earls of Lichfield | Earls of Lichfield | Earls of Lichfield | Earls of Lichfield | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Viscounts Dillon | Viscounts Dillon | Viscounts Dillon | Viscounts Dillon | Viscounts Dillon | Viscounts Dillon |
* Robert listed among his brothers
* He appears at the bottom of the list of brothers as the youngest:
* Edward Henry (died 1713), became the colonel of the Royal Regiment of Guards and never married
* James (died 1711), became a captain in the Royal Navy and married Sarah, daughter of John Bagshaw, but the marriage stayed childless
* Charles (died 1708), never married
* George Henry (died 1742), became the 2nd Earl
* Fitzroy Henry Lee (1699–1750), became a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy
* Robert Lee (1706–1776)
* Robert's sisters
* Charlotte (1678–1721), married Benedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore
* Anne, died young
* Elizabeth, married first Colonel Lee and secondly the Reverend Dr. Edward Young
* Barbara, married Sir Charles, 2nd Baronet Browne of Kiddington

## Early life

Lee was MP for Oxford from 1754 to 1768, and considered a Tory. Lee held the sinecure position of Custos Brevium of the Court of Common Pleas, in the royal gift.

## Marriage

On 29 May 1745, at St Paul's Cathedral, London, Lee married Catherine Stonhouse (1708–1784), daughter of Sir John Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet, of Radley, Berkshire. The marriage was childless.

## 4th Earl

On 17 September 1772, at the age of 66, Lee became the 4th Earl of Lichfield when the 3rd Earl, his nephew, died childless.

## Death, succession, and timeline

Lord Lichfield, as he now was, died childless on 4 November 1776, falling off his horse while hunting near Ditchley. He was buried in the All Saints church in Spelsbury in an elaborate marble monument by William Tyler (architect). He was the last Earl of this, the second, creation of the title. The earldom became extinct, but the estate went to his niece Lady Charlotte Lee, eldest surviving daughter of his brother, George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield. In 1744 Charlotte had married Viscount Dillon. Their son Charles Dillon, 12th Viscount Dillon inherited the estate at his mother's death in 1794. This included the house at Ditchley, which remained the home of the Viscounts Dillon until 1934.
Timeline :
| Age | Date | Event |
| 0 | 1706, 3 Jul | Born, in London |
| 8 | 1714, 1 Aug | Accession of King George I, succeeding Queen Anne |
| 20 | 1727, 11 Jun | Accession of King George II, succeeding King George I |
| 38 | 1745, 29 May | Married Catherine Stonhouse at St. Paul's Cathedral in London |
| 54 | 1760, 25 Oct | Accession of King George III, succeeding King George II |
| 66 | 1772, 17 Sep | Succeeded his nephew as 4th Earl of Lichfield |
| 70 | 1776, 4 Nov | Died at Ditchley |