Anthony St Leger (soldier)
Encyclopedia
Major-General Anthony St Leger (1731/32 – 19 April 1786) was a successful soldier, a Member of Parliament
for Grimsby, and the founder of the St. Leger Stakes
horse race.
Born into the St Leger family
, an Anglo
-Irish
family of Norman
stock, he was educated at Eton College
. He attended Peterhouse, Cambridge
before embarking on a career in the army
.
In 1761, St Leger married a Yorkshire
woman, Margaret Wombwell. That same year he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 124th Regiment of Foot
, but a year later the regiment disbanded, and St Leger took on the Park Hill estate in Firbeck
, where he later bred and raced horses.
From 1768 to 1774, St Leger sat as MP for Grimsby. Two years after leaving the Commons
, and with the assistance of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
, he established a two-mile race for 3-year-old horses, on the Cantley Common in Doncaster
. This was to become the St. Leger Stakes
.
In 1779, St Leger re-entered the army as Colonel of the 86th Regiment of Foot. He subsequently achieved the rank of Brigadier General, before serving a period as the Governor of Saint Lucia
. His last posting was in Ireland, by which time he was a Major General.
St Leger died on 19 April 1786. He was buried in Saint Anne's Church
, Dublin.
In addition to giving his name to the St Leger Stakes, the St Leger Arms public house
in Laughton en le Morthen (two miles up the road from the Park Hill estate) is also named after Anthony St Leger.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Grimsby, and the founder of the St. Leger Stakes
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
horse race.
Born into the St Leger family
St Leger Family
The St. Leger family is an old Anglo-Irish family with Norman and German roots going back over a thousand years, and whose name has appeared more than a few times in history....
, an Anglo
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
family of Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
stock, he was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. He attended Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
before embarking on a career in the army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
.
In 1761, St Leger married a Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
woman, Margaret Wombwell. That same year he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 124th Regiment of Foot
124th Regiment of Foot (1762)
The 124th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1762 and disbanded in 1763. Its colonel was Robert Cuninghame, 1st Baron Rossmore.-References:*, regiments.org...
, but a year later the regiment disbanded, and St Leger took on the Park Hill estate in Firbeck
Firbeck
Firbeck is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with Nottinghamshire. The name is said to derive from "Friebec", meaning a wooded stream. It lies between Maltby and Oldcotes, off the A634 and B6463 roads. The village has a...
, where he later bred and raced horses.
From 1768 to 1774, St Leger sat as MP for Grimsby. Two years after leaving the Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, and with the assistance of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
, he established a two-mile race for 3-year-old horses, on the Cantley Common in Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
. This was to become the St. Leger Stakes
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
.
In 1779, St Leger re-entered the army as Colonel of the 86th Regiment of Foot. He subsequently achieved the rank of Brigadier General, before serving a period as the Governor of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
. His last posting was in Ireland, by which time he was a Major General.
St Leger died on 19 April 1786. He was buried in Saint Anne's Church
St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street
St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street, in Dublin, Ireland, was built in the early 18th century following the establishment of the Anglican parish in 1707. In the early 21st century the church presents itself as ecumenical within the tradition of the Church of Ireland.-Building history:The building of the...
, Dublin.
In addition to giving his name to the St Leger Stakes, the St Leger Arms public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Laughton en le Morthen (two miles up the road from the Park Hill estate) is also named after Anthony St Leger.