John Poulett, 4th Earl Poulett

He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1788.^[3] In 1792 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Somerset,^[4] a post he held until his death. He was also a Recorder of Bridgwater. The East Devon Militia was again embodied, under his colonelcy, for active service in March 1794,^[5] and he was also commissioned colonel of the Somersetshire Fencible Cavalry.^[6] On 30 May, he was invested a Knight of the Thistle.^[7] He was appointed a Lord of the Bedchamber to George III on 19 November 1795, an office he held until his death.^[8] When the colonel of the 1st Somerset Militia died, Poulett as lord lieutenant took personal command as colonel of the regiment on 25 October 1798.^[1][9][10] He was also commissioned as colonel of the East Somerset Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry on 17 September 1803.^[9][11]

Lord Poulett married firstly Sophia Pocock, daughter of Admiral Sir George Pocock, in 1782. They had ten children, including:

• John Poulett, 5th Earl Poulett (1783–1864), who married Charlotte Fanny Portman, daughter of Henry Berkeley Portman and Hon. Lucy Dormer (a daughter of the 8th Baron Dormer), in 1820.^[12]
• Lady Sophia Poulett (1785–1859), who married Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of Cleveland.^[12]
• The Hon. George Poulett (1786–1854), a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy; he married Catherine Sophia Dallas, daughter of Sir George Dallas, 1st Baronet, in 1811.^[12]
• Lady Mary Poulett (1788–1860), who married, as his second wife, Lord Charles Somerset, a younger son of Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort.^[13]
• Hon. William Poulett (1789–1805), who died young.^[12]
• Hon. Vere Poulett (1791–1812), an Ensign in the 4th Foot who died unmarried.^[12]
• Hon. Frederic Charles Poulett (1798–1808), who died young.^[12]

After Sophia's death in January 1811 Poulett married secondly Margaret Burges, daughter of Ynyr Burges and widow of Sir John Smith-Burges, 1st Baronet, in 1816.^[12]

Lord Poulett died in January 1819, aged 62, and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, John. The Countess Poulett died at Brighton on 28 May 1838.^[14]

Through his second son George, he was a grandfather of William Poulett, 6th Earl Poulett.^[12]

Through his daughter Lady Mary, he was a grandfather of Col. Poulett Somerset, Mary Sophia Somerset, and Augusta Anne Somerset (wife of Sir Henry Barron, 1st Baronet).^[13]