 Tankerville was born in 1743 and was educated at Eton College between 1753 and 1760.He succeeded to the Earldom on the death of his father on 27 October 1767 and married Emma, daughter of Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet, in 1771.He and his new wife settled at Walton on Thames at his house, Mount Felix overlooking the Thames.