Description: William Henry Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, was a distinguished statesman, being Prime Minister in 1783 and at the end of his life, from 1807 to 1809. He was Home Secretary from 1794 to 1801. In spite of all this political activity he had time to improve the Welbeck estate, converting much of the sandy wastes into profitable plantations, although he lived chiefly at Bulstrode Park after his mother's death in 1785. In 1801 he assumed the name and arms of Cavendish, becoming William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck. (information from '20 Nottinghamshire families' by K Train).
This appears to be based on a similar engraving by Sir William Reynolds after a painting by Sir Joshua Reyolds which was published in 1820. The text states that it is from a painting in posession of the Earl of Stamford.
This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.