Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville
The Earl of Tankerville | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 November 1743 St.James's Square, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 10 December 1822 (aged 79) Walton-on-Thames, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Other names | Lord Ossulston (from 1753 to 1767) |
| Education | Eton College |
| Occupation | Gentleman |
| Known for | Cricket |
| Title | 4th Earl of Tankerville |
| Successor | Charles Augustus Bennet |
| Spouse | Emma Colebrooke |
| Children | 8 |
| Parent(s) | Charles Bennet, 3rd Earl of Tankerville and Alice (née Astley) |
Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville (15 November 1743 – 10 December 1822), styled Lord Ossulston from 1753 to 1767, was a British nobleman, a collector of shells and a famous patron of Surrey cricket in the 1770s. He agreed a set of cricket rules that included the first mention of the Leg before wicket rule.
His wife, Emma, Lady Tankerville, was notable as a collector of exotic plants. The first tropical orchid to flower in England is named for her as it was it flowered in her greenhouse. Her collection of over 600 illustrations were purchased by Kew Gardens in 1932 and are still available today.