George Augustus Frederick Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper, styled Viscount Fordwich until 1837, was a British Whig politician.
Background
Cowper was the eldest son of Peter Clavering-Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper, and his wife Emily Lamb, daughter of Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne, sister of Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, and a leading figure in Regency society.
Career
He was commissioned a cornet in the Royal Horse Guards on 28 April 1827. On 27 February 1830, he purchased a lieutenancy in the regiment. He retired on the half-pay of the New South Wales Veteran Companies in March 1831, but exchanged into a lieutenancy in the 31st Regiment of Foot on 13 February 1835.
He retired from the army on 6 March 1835.
He lost his seat in Parliament in the 1835 general election. Two years later he succeeded his father in the earldom.
Between 1846 and 1856 he served as Lord-Lieutenant of Kent. Lord Cowper married Lady Anne Florence de Grey (who after her husband"s death succeeded as sixth Baroness Lucas of Crudwell), daughter of Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey, in 1833.
Their daughter Lady Florence Amabel married The Honorary
Auberon Herbert. Lady Cowper died in 1880.
Membership
9th United Kingdom Parliament. 10th United Kingdom Parliament. 11th United Kingdom Parliament]
Their second son the Honourable Henry Cowper sat as Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire for many years.