Marriage and Family
In June 1805, at the age of nineteen, Lady Caroline married the Hon. William Lamb, an up-and-coming young politician, and heir to the 1st Viscount Melbourne. Although their meeting had been shrewdly orchestrated by William Lamb's mother, theirs was a love match. The couple had become "mutually captivated" during a visit to Brocket Hall in 1802 and for many years the pair enjoyed a happy marriage. Their union produced a son, George Augustus Frederick, born on 11 August 1807, and a premature daughter, born in 1809 who died within 24 hours. Lady Caroline was physically ill-suited to childbirth and suffered long recovery periods after each one. Her son was born with severe mental problems that may have been a type of autism. Although most aristocratic families sent mentally challenged relatives to institutions, the Lambs cared for their son at home until his death. The stress, combined with William Lamb's consuming career ambitions, drove a wedge between the couple.
Read more about this topic: Lady Caroline Lamb
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