Edward Adolphus Ferdinand Seymour, Earl St. Maur
Encyclopedia
Edward Adolphus Ferdinand Seymour, Earl St. Maur (17 July 1835 – Dover Street
, London
, 30 September 1869), also 13th Baron Seymour in his own right, was a British aristocrat and soldier.
, and Jane Georgiana Sheridan, the younger sister of noted author Caroline Norton and granddaughter of famous Irish playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan
. He was styled Lord Seymour until 1863 when his father was created Earl St Maur, of Berry Pomeroy, and he adopted his father's new creation as a courtesy title
. He was commonly known as Ferdy.
(1855–1857) and almost immediately afterwards, was at the Relief of Lucknow
during the Indian Mutiny
(1857–1858). He fought in Italy
and Sicily
, as a civilian volunteer, joining Giuseppe Garibaldi
's Essercito Meridionale (Southern Army) as a private in 1860. At an early stage he assumed the rank of Captain on the basis that along with his younger brother Lord Edward Seymour (1841–1865) he had co-commanded Volunteer Cavalry in England; both brothers assuming the rank of Captain. He distinguished himself in the Volturno campaign
in late 1860 and in other campaigns. Garibaldi later officially conferred him with the rank of Captain despite the fact that Seymour was merely a civilian volunteer, and he assumed the name pseudonym "Captain Richard Sarsfield" in commemoration of a hero he had heard about when at Christ Church, Oxford
.
In late 1860, after Garibaldi had appointed Seymour as his "Military Secretary", he accused a brother officer (who happened to be a favourite of Garibaldi's) of embezzling Garibaldi funds, the said brother officer challenged Seymour to a duel that his superior officer (Colonel John Whitehead Peard
- Garibaldi's "Englishman") forbade him to attend. Seymour felt it necessary to be accompanied at all times by bodyguards and to escape back to Britain - which he did. The scandal induced Seymour to give up any thought of involvement in warfare and he was never again to partake in warfare, choosing to travel extensively throughout Europe and study languages, seldom returning home, much to the resentment of his family.
In July 1863 he was summoned to the House of Lords
through a writ of acceleration
in his father's junior title of Baron Seymour.
, Bury St. Edmunds
, Suffolk
. He took her with him during his travels, returning to England with her in 1868 to live near Brighton
. Seymour and Rosina had two children; a girl Ruth Mary (1867–1953) was born whilst the couple were in Tangier
and a boy Harold St. Maur born in Brighton. A few months after the birth of his son Seymour died during a botched emergency tracheotomy
at his own flat in Dover Street, Mayfair
, London
. If Seymour had married Rosina, Harold would have now been the heir to his grandfather's dukedom and he spent many years trying to prove that a marriage had taken place. Looking for a possible Dutch witness to the marriage by the name of Ravesteyn, he even published an advertisement in a newspaper in the Netherlands in 1924, offering a reward of £50 for proof of the fact without success. In 1885 the 12th Duke died. He had outlived both of his sons (Seymour brother, Lord Edward having died in 1869). The 12th Duke's brother (Archibald Seymour
) became the 13th Duke of Somerset
.
Dover Street
Dover Street is a street in Mayfair, London, England. The street is notable for its Georgian architecture as well as the location of historic London clubs and hotels, which have been frequented by world leaders and historic figures in the arts. It also hosts a number of contemporary art galleries...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 30 September 1869), also 13th Baron Seymour in his own right, was a British aristocrat and soldier.
Background
Seymour was the eldest son of Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of SomersetEdward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset
Sir Edward Adolphus Seymour , 12th Duke of Somerset, etc. KG, PC , styled Baron Seymour until 1855, was a British Whig aristocrat and politician, who served in various cabinet positions in the mid-19th century...
, and Jane Georgiana Sheridan, the younger sister of noted author Caroline Norton and granddaughter of famous Irish playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan was an Irish-born playwright and poet and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. For thirty-two years he was also a Whig Member of the British House of Commons for Stafford , Westminster and Ilchester...
. He was styled Lord Seymour until 1863 when his father was created Earl St Maur, of Berry Pomeroy, and he adopted his father's new creation as a courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
. He was commonly known as Ferdy.
Military career
Seymour briefly fought as a volunteer in the Anglo-Persian WarAnglo-Persian War
The Anglo-Persian War lasted between November 1, 1856 and April 4, 1857, and was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Persia . In the war, the British opposed an attempt by Persia to reacquire the city of Herat...
(1855–1857) and almost immediately afterwards, was at the Relief of Lucknow
Siege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
during the Indian Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
(1857–1858). He fought in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, as a civilian volunteer, joining Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
's Essercito Meridionale (Southern Army) as a private in 1860. At an early stage he assumed the rank of Captain on the basis that along with his younger brother Lord Edward Seymour (1841–1865) he had co-commanded Volunteer Cavalry in England; both brothers assuming the rank of Captain. He distinguished himself in the Volturno campaign
Battle of Volturnus (1860)
The Battle of Volturnus or Volturno refers to a series of military clashes between Giuseppe Garibaldi's volunteers and the troops of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies occurred around the river Volturno, in northern Campania, in September and October 1860...
in late 1860 and in other campaigns. Garibaldi later officially conferred him with the rank of Captain despite the fact that Seymour was merely a civilian volunteer, and he assumed the name pseudonym "Captain Richard Sarsfield" in commemoration of a hero he had heard about when at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
In late 1860, after Garibaldi had appointed Seymour as his "Military Secretary", he accused a brother officer (who happened to be a favourite of Garibaldi's) of embezzling Garibaldi funds, the said brother officer challenged Seymour to a duel that his superior officer (Colonel John Whitehead Peard
John Whitehead Peard
John Whitehead Peard was a British soldier, renowned as 'Garibaldi's Englishman'. He was the second son of Vice-Admiral Shuldham Peard.-References:* - Oxford Dictionary of National Biography...
- Garibaldi's "Englishman") forbade him to attend. Seymour felt it necessary to be accompanied at all times by bodyguards and to escape back to Britain - which he did. The scandal induced Seymour to give up any thought of involvement in warfare and he was never again to partake in warfare, choosing to travel extensively throughout Europe and study languages, seldom returning home, much to the resentment of his family.
In July 1863 he was summoned to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
through a writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's junior title of Baron Seymour.
Personal life
In 1866 Seymour began a relationship with a 17-year-old maid called Rosina Elizabeth Swan, of HighamHigham
Higham is the name of several places in England:*Higham, Derbyshire*Higham, Kent*Higham, Lancashire*Higham, South Yorkshire*Higham, Babergh, Suffolk*Higham, Forest Heath, Suffolk*Cold Higham, Northamptonshire*Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire...
, Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. He took her with him during his travels, returning to England with her in 1868 to live near Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. Seymour and Rosina had two children; a girl Ruth Mary (1867–1953) was born whilst the couple were in Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
and a boy Harold St. Maur born in Brighton. A few months after the birth of his son Seymour died during a botched emergency tracheotomy
Tracheotomy
Among the oldest described surgical procedures, tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the anterior aspect of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea...
at his own flat in Dover Street, Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. If Seymour had married Rosina, Harold would have now been the heir to his grandfather's dukedom and he spent many years trying to prove that a marriage had taken place. Looking for a possible Dutch witness to the marriage by the name of Ravesteyn, he even published an advertisement in a newspaper in the Netherlands in 1924, offering a reward of £50 for proof of the fact without success. In 1885 the 12th Duke died. He had outlived both of his sons (Seymour brother, Lord Edward having died in 1869). The 12th Duke's brother (Archibald Seymour
Archibald Seymour, 13th Duke of Somerset
Archibald Algernon Henry St. Maur, formerly Seymour, 13th Duke of Somerset, etc. was the son of Edward St. Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset and Lady Charlotte Douglas-Hamilton. He was also a baronet. Motto - Foy Pour Devoir - Faith for Duty now adopted by HMS Somerset by kind permission.He was baptized...
) became the 13th Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
.