Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, William John, 5th Duke of Portland (1800-1879)

Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, William John, 5th Duke of Portland

NOBLEMAN (ENGLAND)

BORN 18 Sep 1800, London - DIED 6 Dec 1879, London: Harcourt House, Cavendish Square
GRAVE LOCATION London: Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green (126/1 (23032))

William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck was the son of the 4th Duke of Portland. He was known as John Bentinck and was fond of riding horses. He started an army career, but after the death of his older brother John he was suddenly next in line for the title. After leaving the army he became a Member of Parliament for Kings Lynn. In 1826 he resigned his seat for his younger brother George.

In 1834 he fell in madly in love with the singer Adelaide Kemble. He visited her concerts and finally asked her to marry him. Although he was a kind man with great prospects she considered his love for her obsessive and refuded him. After that he never poposed marriage again. He lived in seclusion and became an eccentric. Possibly this had something to do with a skin disease. He often carried an umbrella to stay out of sight of others. In 1854 he succeeded his father as the 5th Duke. He mostly lived at Walbeck Abbey where he ordered the construction of a subterranean ballroom.

After his death in 1879 he was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery and his tomb was surrounded by plants to be withdrawn from sight. In 1896 Anna Maria Druce claimed that her deceased husband had been the Duke who had led a double life and that had faked the death of Mr. Druce in 1864 to escape this double life. She asked for the opening of Mr. Druce's grave at Highgate but her claim that the grave would be empty wasn't taken seriously by the authorities. In 1903 she was put in a mental institution, but a son from a former marriage of Mr. Druce continued the case after he returned from Australia. The grave was finally opened in 1907 and the remains of Mr. Druce were there.

Related persons
• has a connection with Kemble, Adelaide

Images
The grave of William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)	The grave of William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)