Note 210 — BOOK THE FOURTH 1815-1821

Lord Ossory, in his commonplace, recording the circumstances of his death, thus characterises his neighbour:

“July 6, 1815, was the melancholy termination of the active and useful (in many respects) life of poor Whitbread. He was a most indefatigable man, of eminent talents and many virtues. He had a great irritability of temper, which at last, combined with a natural fulness of blood in the head, produced the fatal catastrophe. Contradiction made him become a vehement advocate for Bonaparte. Bedfordshire used to be called Whitbreadshire, but I deny that he ever governed or ruled me.”—V.H.