William Talbot, Earl Talbot, PC (16 May 1710 – 27 April 1782), known as the Lord Talbot from 1737 to 1761, was a British politician. Talbot was a notable figure among opposition Whig politicians during the reign of King George II before later coming to Court during the reign of his grandson, taking the office of Lord Steward of the Household. Early life and education Talbot was born in Worcester as the eldest surviving son of Charles Talbot, later Baron Talbot and Cecil Matthew (died 1720), daughter of Charles Matthew of Castell y Mynach, Glamorganshire. The second of five sons born to the future Baron Talbot, Talbot was educated at Eton from 1725 to 1728 and matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford on 23 January 1727, before attending Lincoln's Inn in 1728. He was created DCL (Doctor of Civil Law) on 12 June 1736. In March 1734 Talbot as elected a trustee of the Georgia Society which he would remained associated with until March 1738. Politics Talbot was elected as a Member of Parliament for Glamorganshire at the 1734 general election where he succeeded outgoing Tory MP Sir Charles Kemeys. The constituency had been hitherto dominated by an alliance of three Tory peers, the Duke of Beaufort, Lord Mansel and Lord Windsor. The Mansels had dominated the seat for around forty-years until 1712 when the seat was won by a succession of two local Tory squires. Talbot stood as a Whig on the interest of his father against Bussy Mansel for the local Tories, who was noted for having a miserly disposition and a considerable fortune. Talbot narrowly won the seat over Mansel, thus being the first Whig to represent the county seat in the duration of the Hanoverian succession. In the House of Commons Talbot aligned with the Opposition Whigs under William Pulteney and was opposed to Robert Walpole and his ministry. Talbot considered himself to be a 'real Whig' and was fairly independent in his politics, associating with other Independent Whigs such as Sir Francis Dashwood, Earl Stanhope and Lord Strange, the former two being noted as close associates and friends of Talbot. These 'real Whigs' promoted a political stance of 'independency' which endorsed Country principles of opposing the Septennial Act, nepotism, corruption and a large standing-army, while promoting the militia system, place bills to restrict officeholders in Parliament and general measures to limit the hold of governments over