Sex, cash and the PM’s mother: Despite being married to a millionaire, Lady Melbourne is said [tr]

UK Daily Mail ^ | April 12, 2018 | Nick Rennison

[C19fan]

The mothers of British prime ministers don’t often sell their sexual favours for cash.

But Lady Melbourne, whose son became the young Queen Victoria’s favourite politician, was an unusual woman. In the 1770s, it was rumoured that one of her lovers had sold her to the Earl of Egremont for £13,000 and she had pocketed half the money.

Who knows if the rumours were true? But, as this entertaining — if occasionally disorganised — book shows, Lady Melbourne was a fascinating character.

The poet Byron knew her when she was an older woman. Despite a 37-year difference in their ages, he may even have had an affair with her. He called her ‘the best friend I ever had in my life and the cleverest of women’.

[C19fan]

The Georgian era aristocracy were notorious for immoral and licentious behavior. A major push by the moral reforms, for example, Wilberforce , was demanding this elite start behaving.

[WayneS]

The mothers of British prime ministers don’t often sell their sexual favours for cash.

How does he know?

[2banana]

Not guilty in a 17th century kind of way

[BradyLS]

Cue Jon Lovitz in a new “Tales of Ribaldry” episode!

[ClearCase_guy]

The poet Byron ... called her ‘the best friend I ever had in my life and the cleverest of women’.

Quite a statement considering his own daughter was Ada Lovelace.

[IronJack]

Lord Melbourne had woman problems of his own. His wife very publicly deserted him for Lord Byron.